This paper identifies the non-equilibrium evolution of magnetic field structures at the onset of large-scale recombination of an inhomogeneously-ionised plasma. The context for this is the Universe during the epoch of recombination. The electromagnetic treatment of this phase transition can produce energetic electrons scattered throughout the Universe, localised near the edges of magnetic domains. This is confirmed by a numerical simulation in which a mag-netic domain is modelled as a uniform field region produced by a thin surrounding current sheet. Conduction currents sustaining the magnetic structure are removed as the charges com-prising them combine into neutrals. The induced electric field accompanying the magnetic collapse is able to accelerate ambient stationary electrons (that is, electrons not participating in the current sheet) to energies of up to order 10keV. This is consistent with theoretical pre-dictions. The localised electron acceleration leads to local imbalances of charge which has implications for charge separation in the early Universe.