Links to this page were:
Section Subnavigation
Links:
Electrical fire notifiable accidents
[ Last Updated 20 January 2010 ]
This is the list of the 18 Electrical fire notifiable accidents for which the investigation was completed between July to September 2009.
1 - Event summary: Fire in metal meter box caused minimal damage to surround, fire damage to wooden back plate.
| Event ID |
090702 01 |
| Event date |
10/09/2008 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Metering |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire in metal meter box was caused by loose terminal in base of main fuse. The fire was contained with the metal box and caused some minor damage to the surrounding brick work. The meter and wooden backing board in the box were destroyed during the fire. |
2 - Event summary: A fire severely damaged a hotel complex which was caused by an electrical fault.
| Event ID |
090518 10 |
| Event date |
11/05/2009 |
| Site |
Commercial |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Other |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Extended to multiple rooms |
| Outcome of investigation |
An investigation found that the fire has initiated from damaged high voltage cables used to supply electricity to a neon sign. Its apparent that the cable has arced and in turn ignited the internal timber structure of a column within the complex. The cables appear to have been damaged at the time of installation. A number of other quality of work issues were identified during the investigation. These competency related issues have been referred to the Electrical Workers Licensing Group. |
3 - Event summary: An oil column heater in a bedroom apparently leaked oil and the oil caught fire causing fire damage to the room.
| Event ID |
090522 01 |
| Event date |
20/05/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Room Heaters; Fan heaters; Radiant Heaters; Oil Fin |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the room containing the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
The cause of the fire could not be determined and may have been caused by oil leaking or a garment left on the heater. |
4 - Event summary: A house fire reported to have been caused by dehumidifier.
| Event ID |
090601 02 |
| Event date |
01/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Heat pumps; air conditioners; dehumidifiers |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
A house fire reported to have been caused by dehumidifier |
| Outcome of investigation |
The house was extensively damaged. The cause of the fire was put down to a dehumidifier which was approximately 7 years old. Following a number of fires involving dehumidifiers Energy Safety published a safety alert on the importance of safe use and regular maintenance of dehumidifiers. The safety alert was placed on Energy Safety's website. |
5 - Event summary: A report was received concerning a fire with a waste disposal unit.
| Event ID |
090604 01 |
| Event date |
04/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Equipment under 60204 classification |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
A report was received about a fire with a waste disposal unit. The damage was confined to the cupboard with the unit. The cause of the fire was not established. |
6 - Event summary: A home owner notified Energy Safety when an oil column heater, which had recently been purchased, emitted oil vapour within an infant’s bedroom. The fire service and ambulance attended the incident there was no fire damage to the bedroom this was contained within the heater. However an infant sleeping in the room was treated for smoke inhalation which resulted in the infant being admitted to hospital for observation and latter released with no complications.
| Event ID |
090608 01 |
| Event date |
08/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Room Heaters; Fan heaters; Radiant Heaters; Oil Fin |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
Injury |
| Injury |
Asphyxiation |
| Property damage level |
No property damage |
| Outcome of investigation |
The heater was sent to a test laboratory for analysis. They established the fault to be a breakdown of wiring insulation due to the temperature of the heater exceeding the operating temperature limit of the wiring insulation held in contact with it. An electrical flashover occurred between the live conductor and the metal end cover causing small holes to be punctured in the metal panel resulting in leakage of oil and fumes. This does not comply with the applicable electrical safety standard for heaters and therefore a recall notice was published by the supplier in all the major papers throughout the country. |
7 - Event summary: Fire in external switchboard of house, may involve smart meter. The meter box and contents were destroyed and caused damage to outside wall of house.
| Event ID |
090623 01 |
| Event date |
19/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Control panel |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
The mains cable appears to have been damaged where it entered the meter box and over time the insulation failed causing the cable to arc and set fire to the wooden backing plate in the meter box. The network company is auditing other installations of this type. |
8 - Event summary: Main cable faulted where it entered building causing small fire on outside of building.
| Event ID |
090626 01 |
| Event date |
26/06/2009 |
| Site |
Commercial |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
400 |
| Equipment |
Armoured Cable |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire in main cable where it entered building, it appears that the cable may have been damaged when it was installed a number of years ago and water may have entered the sheath causing it to track across phases. |
9 - Event summary: Fire in wall of old house. Fire service attended and located small fire in wall above light switch.
| Event ID |
090630 01 |
| Event date |
27/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Other |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire was caused by failure of old VIR cable circa 1940 in capping and casing in wall of old house. |
10 - Event summary: Fatal house fire involving heater
| Event ID |
090701 01 |
| Event date |
30/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Appliances |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
Fatality |
| Injury |
Burn |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
It appears that there was clothing close to the heater which caught fire causing a sofa to also contribute to the fire resulting in the loss of life. There were no faults with the installation found during the investigation. |
11 - Event summary: Fire in lounge possibly caused by heater or extension lead, sofa on fire at time.
| Event ID |
090703 01 |
| Event date |
30/06/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Appliances |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire may have been caused by heater or extension lead, sofa was reported to have been on fire when fire service attended, the Fire Service where not sure where fire started and the scene was not investigated as there was little evidence left at the scene. |
12 - Event summary: Electric blanket caused some scorching in bed no other damage.
| Event ID |
090705 01 |
| Event date |
05/07/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Blankets; Pads |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire service were called to electric blanket fire, the blanket caused a sheet on a bed to smolder. The electric blanket was very old with no visible markings that could identify the maker. |
13 - Event summary: Fire in kitchen of hotel unit, occupant evacuated when smoke alarm went off.
| Event ID |
090717 01 |
| Event date |
17/07/2009 |
| Site |
Commercial |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Appliances |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
Injury |
| Injury |
Asphyxiation |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
The fire was located inside the fridge in the area of the thermostat. The fridge was 29 years old. |
14 - Event summary: The Fire Service reported fire in switchboard which caused damage to rooms in the dwelling.
| Event ID |
090723 01 |
| Event date |
23/07/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Switch/distribution board |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
no injury |
| Property damage level |
Extended to the room and structure containing the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire in switchboard caused by water leaking above switchboard causing short circuit fault and damage to circuit protection. |
15 - Event summary: Light fitting caught fire in store room.
| Event ID |
090730 03 |
| Event date |
30/07/2009 |
| Site |
Commercial |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Floodlights |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
The light fitting had been contaminated with water due to a leak in the roof over several months causing a breakdown of the insulation in the fitting. |
16 - Event summary: The Fire Service notified Energy Safety of a fire involving a dehumidifier.
| Event ID |
090805 05 |
| Event date |
05/08/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Appliances |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
The occupants of the house were out at the time of the incident. A dehumidifier had been left operating in a bedroom with the door closed. The dehumidifier was completely destroyed and due to the closed door the fire had self extinguished. The damage was contained within the bedroom and was mainly smoke damage. Due to the damage caused to the dehumidifier the cause of this failure was unable to be determined. The occupant was questioned around the operation of the dehumidifier and disclosed that they were unaware of the air filter within the unit and the manufacturer’s requirement for cleaning the filter. If the filter had been blocked this could have contributed to the unit over heating. |
17 - Event summary: Fire in office of house containing computer equipment.
| Event ID |
090812 02 |
| Event date |
12/08/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
transformers for switch modes power suppliers |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
Fire was possibly caused by backup power supply or multi box. Fire service could not determine the area of origin. |
18 - Event summary: A house occupier returned home to find smoldering in the house. The Fire Service were called and they suppressed the fire which extended to an area of about one square metre in the ceiling. Damage occurred as a result of the fire and fire suppression activities.
| Event ID |
090826 04 |
| Event date |
26/08/2009 |
| Site |
Domestic |
| Environment |
Building |
| Voltage |
230 |
| Equipment |
Flexible Cable |
| Event |
Fire |
| Casualty |
No casualty |
| Injury |
No injury |
| Property damage level |
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment |
| Outcome of investigation |
According to investigating elecrical engineer, older vulcanised insulation rubber wiring had deteriorated leading to a fault condition causing fire. A recommendation for replacement of the wiring was passed on to the house owner. |
Back to Top