Lucky Kids

[JamesGar]

House fire on Saturday Night. Nothing really, but story as follows:

Parent woke to smoke filled house, investigated to find arching from dual fluro light in kids bedroom (4 and 6 year old asleep). Family woken and taken out of house when CFS was called. No smoke detectors activated (3 hardwired in Hallway 1 of which was straight out from boys open doorway) and safety switch didn't activate.

We just used PPV to clear smoke and made light safe (1 crew member is an electircian!)

Lucky family!

[MCFSFF]

MMm thats interesting James

Not too suprising the ELCB didnt go off as some older houses dont have them on light cct. Also they monitor the differance between supply and return and if its 30mill amps differance... ie 30mill amps that went out but didnt come back it went to earth then it trips. An increase in load will not trip the ELCB monitor but should trip the Circuit Breaker ie greater than rated 10 amps on light cct. (DISCLAIMER....I believe this info is correct but check with your friendly local sparks)

Why didnt the smoke detectors go off?? has that been investigated? hardwired it cant be a flat battery can it ? so ?

best give my detectors at test hey!

Thanks for the news.

[JamesGar]

Thanks nice to know about the ELCB's didn't know about the retrofitting on just power circuit and not lighting. I'd like to know if there has been similar incidents reported, might need a bit of a legislation or standard change.