Had an interesting call last night

[alarm man]

That's a very modern H&S take on it:
1. Raise the alarm 2. Fight the fire if practicable and safe to do so. 3. Evacuate. 1&3 are interlinked.

Somewhere this country lost it's sense of common.

or yours and ya daft mates way
1-ring a spark
2-pull the fuse
3-call 999

 

[trev]

Geordie way
1 is wor lass n the bairns n the hoond oot
2 if not git the buggas oot
3 ring the lads in the geet big van
4 girroot the way

 

[Plonker 3]

That's a very modern H&S take on it:
1. Raise the alarm 2. Fight the fire if practicable and safe to do so. 3. Evacuate. 1&3 are interlinked.

Somewhere this country lost it's sense of common.

I agree that is a sensible approach to it, but I certainly wouldn't be telling someone on the other end of a phone to go towrds where the fire is.

 

[alarm man]

I agree that is a sensible approach to it, but I certainly wouldn't be telling someone on the other end of a phone to go towrds where the fire is.

aggree dillb,sometimes the quote 'get a spark in' can be taken a bit too far...

 

[Rockingit]

Just surprised that the fire crews weren't quoting to do the job themselves

Not in anyway directly connected with this thread, but pop into the arms and see my latest thread.

 

[Knobhead]

I can’t believe people suggesting entering the danger zone to pull the fuse!

 

[Spazz]

Have i ever said the main fuse was in the house? NO!
The meter was in the house not the blastard main fuse!

This thread has gone to the dead now! - Needs laying to rest!

Someone started with thinking the main fuse was in the house not me!

This tread needs closing!

 

[Plonker 3]

No but you did say

he came back from Tesco to find his electric cupboard in flames! I tolded him to pull the main fuse and get on the phone to 999 - I arrived to find Fire Brigade there putting the fire out.

Which in a domestic installation would be a cupboard where all the electric distribution equipment is.

 

[alarm man]

no need to close the thread nic..

 

[Spazz]

No but you did say

Which in a domestic installation would be a cupboard where all the electric distribution equipment is.

His house has a cupboard inside the front door which has the CU in and meter, also somewhere to put shoes, coats etc.
The main DNO supply is in the outside cupboard - I see the easy way to get confused - he made it clear that the CU cupboard was on fire - should of made this clearer in OP

 

[Plonker 3]

So the meter is not next to the main fuse?

Strange set up that, I always thought DNOs kept there equipment together.

 

[Spazz]

Sometimes

This house has a glass brick to show the meter reading, it is only 1 meter away from the main fuse, but in the same cupboard as the CU.
The Main fuse is on the wall outside - I have seen this a few times around here on the newer houses - dont know why they do it mind

 

[baazab]

sorry my friend i think this is a story 'how can N&L CONNECTED 2gather,for a day then fire after? is ther a time delay built in the consumer unit

 

[jase]

Hmmm.....not sure I entirely agree with that. If I had a customer on the phone reporting an electrical fire, under the circumstances of not being able to see with my own eyes, I reckon I would give them very similar advice. It's ultimately what the fuse is there for - remove the source of energy.

wouldnt they have to have a pair of sidecutters to cut the seal? and then they would be in trouble with DNO

 

[Spazz]

The L&N where not directly connected - they where fused because the main switch was melted enough for the installation to melt exposing the 2 terminals - at a guess heat melted it and then fused - again not a clue what happened with main DNO fuse - why it didn't blow.

 

[alarm man]

The L&N where not directly connected - they where fused because the main switch was melted enough for the installation to melt exposing the 2 terminals - at a guess heat melted it and then fused - again not a clue what happened with main DNO fuse - why it didn't blow.

coz the customer pulled it..

 

[Spazz]

wouldnt they have to have a pair of sidecutters to cut the seal? and then they would be in trouble with DNO

I doubt the DNO will care in an emergency situation.

As said before when you pull these fuses the seal will usually break or will break the lugs off the casing - again what would you rather?

 

[Plonker 3]

Get myself and anyone else in immediate danger as far away as possible in the first instance. I thought you were ex St Johns Nic so surely no to remove as much risk as possible from a area first and foremost?

 

[Spazz]

coz the customer pulled it..

it takes more than the 5s trip time for the customer to pull the fuse from seeing the smoke/etc

I can only guess that there was some insulation between L&N and enough to keep a resistance there to stop 100A+ going through the fuse - only a guess

 

[Plonker 3]

So surely if the insulation of the cable has failed you have informed the seller of this and asked them to look into it?

 

[Spazz]

Get myself and anyone else in immediate danger as far away as possible in the first instance. I thought you were ex St Johns Nic so surely no to remove as much risk as possible from a area first and foremost?

Yes I was St John - Electrical Fire - procedure - remove supply if possible and safe to do so - supply fuse outside! - Fire/heat/smoke inside - no danger
Call 999 and get help

As said above endless times - I dont think it actually caught fire - just alot of heat and smoke -impression of fire.

I have had a quiet few months so when he called I knew where his CU was in house and where the DNO head was

 

[baazab]

best thing is to wait for the full report from the dno

 

[Plonker 3]

Yes I was St John - Electrical Fire - procedure - remove supply if possible and safe to do so - supply fuse outside! - Fire/heat/smoke inside - no danger
Call 999 and get help

As said above endless times - I dont think it actually caught fire - just alot of heat and smoke -impression of fire.

I have had a quiet few months so when he called I knew where his CU was in house and where the DNO head was

2 of the 3 signs of fire of which both are more likely to kill yo than flames themselves, which you deemed a untrained person to go near and do something illegal rather than get away and leave for a highly trained professional to deal with?

 

[Spazz]

So surely if the insulation of the cable has failed you have informed the seller of this and asked them to look into it?

Im an going to call this a night!
The insulation between the L&N terminal had melted there is no cable insulation around these terminals - you pull this back!
A fault happened in the CU (at a guess) because of something the homeowner did wrong - could be not tightening screws or anything! - heat melts plastic! the plastic was the insulation on the main switch between the L&N terminals.

Relook at it and go to bed - your probably getting tired like I am!

 

[Spazz]

best thing is to wait for the full report from the dno

DNO been out and installed an isolator and re-installed fuse with seals.

They are aware

 

[alarm man]

Yes I was St John - Electrical Fire - procedure - remove supply if possible and safe to do so - supply fuse outside! - Fire/heat/smoke inside - no danger
Call 999 and get help

As said above endless times - I dont think it actually caught fire - just alot of heat and smoke -impression of fire.

I have had a quiet few months so when he called I knew where his CU was in house and where the DNO head was

st john as in prentdey paramedic

 

[Spazz]

St John is nothing like a Paramedic!
They are Fist Aiders, the difference with me is I did my Ambulance Technician Course (which I paid for myself) which allowed me to do 999s in the major cities in Wales for 1 year till I injured my back and dismissed on medical grounds.

 

[alarm man]

dismissed on medical grounds.

was it just the back.

 

[baazab]

See St John Ambulance in your area for contact details

 

[Spazz]

Well my back and neck!

I carried a 18stone male down the stairs having a heart attack. I badly injured my back as a result!
Apart from the Doctors and Nurses, I was the highest qualified in Wales at the time and the only one with 100% of CPR recovery in the Millennium Stadium.


Yes I gather you where prob on about Metal Health or something stupid but dream on!

I take H&S very seriously!

 

[Spazz]

See St John Ambulance in your area for contact details

Only problem! In Wales St John is Wales' leading first aid charity » St John Cymru Wales!

Also St John is the main ambulance service in most EU countries, Austria and Canada.

 

[trev]

we found that the main L&N had fused together
The L&N where not directly connected - they where fused because the main switch was melted enough for the installation to melt exposing the 2 terminals - at a guess heat melted it and then fused

Is this not a contravention of some basic laws of our trade here for this fuse not to blow? I know you say you don't know why it didn'tblow but think about it for a wee while, How could it not?

Genuine question btw

 

[baazab]

Well my back and neck!

I carried a 18stone male down the stairs having a heart attack. I badly injured my back as a result!
Apart from the Doctors and Nurses, I was the highest qualified in Wales at the time and the only one with 100% of CPR recovery in the Millennium Stadium.


Yes I gather you where prob on about Metal Health or something stupid but dream on!

I take H&S very seriously!

respect for that

 

[baazab]

The scary thing is we also found out last night that he has also installed a few more CUs around the place for family members - GOOD LUCK[/QUOTE]

how did you get 2no this information

 

[alarm man]

Apart from the Doctors and Nurses, I was the highest qualified in Wales


!

you need help mate...

 

[alarm man]

The scary thing is we also found out last night that he has also installed a few more CUs around the place for family members - GOOD LUCK

how did you get 2no this information[/QUOTE]

the voices in his head told him

 

[trev]

Also St John is the main ambulance service in most EU countries, Austria and Canada.

Not true mate. A quick google search of ambulance services in France, Spain , Germany, Belgium, Holland and Denmark contradicts your claim

 

[baazab]

any photos to show the fire or damage ,thanks

 

[alarm man]

Not true mate. A quick google search of ambulance services in France, Spain , Germany, Belgium, Holland and Denmark contradicts your claim

id say more st nics than st johns trev...:wink_smile: which is quite apt

 

[Geordie Spark]

Geordie way
1 is wor lass n the bairns n the hoond oot
2 if not git the buggas oot
3 ring the lads in the geet big van
4 girroot the way

Get th' cauld Broons oot th' fridge an' all !!!!

 

[Knobhead]

This gets more fanciful as it goes on!

 

[Plonker 3]

Is this Nic?

 

[Dave 85]

Theres a few contradictions coming from you here nic I'd love to hear you explain them....

Page 1: "he came back from Tesco to find his electric cupboard in flames!"

Page 4: "As said above endless times - I dont think it actually caught fire - just alot of heat and smoke -impression of fire."

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​

Page 1: "When I went in with the fire inspector we found a new 17th ed board"

Page 2: "No inspector came as it was such a small fire"

Page 2: "I didn't know where the main fuse was"

Page 4: "when he called I knew where his CU was in house and where the DNO head was"

Page 1: "we found that the main L&N had fused together"
​

Page 4: "The L&N where not directly connected"

Midnight: "Im an going to call this a night!"
1 AM: "St John is nothing like a Paramedic!
They are Fist Aiders, the differe...blah blah blah blah etc etc lies nonsense more lies etc etc"

As a wise man said to me yesterday....."Give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself"

​

​

​

​

 

[1shortcircuit]

All I can add to this thread is... IF, and I hope I never do, I get a call explaining that a consumer can smell or see evidence of burning at the consumer unit I would advise they dial 999 and get to a safe distance away from the fire.

I don't know what these Gas meters are set to withstand in the case of a fire but I have seen many right next to consumer units/services heads in the same cupboard.

What started of as an interesting thread has turned into a cover up of the big picture and not as I was expecting a Promotion of Part P.

It's a shame the thread turned out this way but at least nobody was injured, well not physically anyway:thumbsup

 

[Octopus]

Time to get my coat...... I'm out of here

 

[growler]

i reckon the op had done the guy a cu change and THAT caught fire !!

 

[Hiddo]

I might read this fairytale to my kids before bed tomorrow.

 

[DurhamSparky]

lads lads lads...! give the chap a break...!! there may be some very contradicting info in this thread but unless you were physically there we can't judge any one...!

sat behind a keyboard imagining what you thought might have happened is one thing but been on site is another!

PHOTOS would however been taken regardless just for the comedy value that some monkey had burnt his house down....!! we all been there before aint we..! nope.. JUST ME THEN


one point i will make though...

FIRE SERVICE SPRAY FOAM AT EVERY THING ON FIRE IN A HOUSE...! regardless of live or dead...! they do carry Co2 but the hose reel comes out! (during my fire-fighter training i was taught exactly the same thing!) just don't point it at Switchgear or HV stuff..!

 

[trev]

Nicholas, bad news mate. I spoke to Keith earlier, the ball is now rolling and it'll stop when it stops of it's own accord. Best warn your man to get his iron underpants on because there's going to be a butt kicking party by the sound of it.
The sad thing is, depending on which way you look at it, is someone could lose their job

 

[robsparky1975]

Personally i would feel obliged to take pics and show elecsa/niceic and ask them to use our money to good effect as joe public dont know or give a ---- about part p,the only ones that suffer are the actual electricians!!!by having to pay to er...why cant this country do as others,licensed like the US/OZ.It would be so much easier but then it may put the part p brigade out of work and we wouldnt want that.