Junction box fire leaves hundreds without power (From York Press)
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Junction box fire leaves hundreds of Fishergate householders and businesses without power
9:20am Monday 11th June 2012 in News
By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter
Electrical fire in Fishergate at 5am this morning.Pic by Press reader John Kennedy.
HEAVY rain is being blamed for an electrical cabling fault which sent flames shooting out of a York pavement and left hundreds of properties without power.
The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday in Fishergate, scorched the pavement and the exterior wall of Bonito’s hair salon.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was started by a fault in a junction box, probably caused by short-circuiting after heavy rain had fallen overnight.
Northern Powergrid said it was thought water may have got into the junction box.
A spokesman said power supplies were lost to 216 properties in streets including Grange Garth, Grange Street, New Walk Terrace, Fulford Road and Howard Street.
He said electricity was restored to all homes and businesses by 2.15pm after engineers were brought in to repair the damage.
He apologised for any inconvenience suffered by local residents and businesses.
Emma Rawson, owner of Bonitos, said she had lost business on her busiest day of the week, although she fortunately happened not to have a wedding party booked in on Saturday.
She said smoke had come in through a vent and covered the whole inside of the salon in a thin layer of soot.
However, she believed the whole building could have been set alight, had the junction box been situated outside one of the salon windows rather than the stone wall. “It could have been much worse.”
Liz Jackson, proprietor of the nearby Priory Guesthouse, said the business had been left without any electricity or landline telephone service, but guests had still been served hot breakfast using gas.
Fellow proprietor Russ Stephens, who was critical of the amount of time it took engineers to carry out the repairs, said he had been awoken by a whizzing and popping sound. “It sounded like a UFO had landed.” he said, adding he had got up to see orange flames shooting out of the pavement to a height of about two to three feet.
He said students living in flats near the fire were evacuated by police because of fears for their safety.
Comments(15)
bangingheadwall
says...
10:39am Mon 11 Jun 12
matroom wrote:Water...electricity.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
Go ahead you throw buckets of water on the junction box then..
TheTruthHurts
says...
10:41am Mon 11 Jun 12
matroom wrote:Shouldnt use water on an electrical fire.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
'
Anyone else think that 'heavy rainfall causes fire' doesnt really add up. surely its to do with some shoddy fitting.
powerwatt
says...
11:16am Mon 11 Jun 12
matroom wrote:That would definitely be a contender for the Darwin awards.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
hilbilly87
says...
12:07pm Mon 11 Jun 12
matroom wrote:Unbelievable STUPIDITY. If you'd thrown a bucket of water on this ELECTRICAL fire, something tells me the headline would've been somewhat different. Please NO ONE take fire safety advice from this fool. It is NEVER safe to throw water on an electrical fire.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
topumpire1
says...
1:52pm Mon 11 Jun 12
matroom
says...
5:28pm Mon 11 Jun 12
hilbilly87 wrote:alright ****, calm down !!!
matroom wrote:Unbelievable STUPIDITY. If you'd thrown a bucket of water on this ELECTRICAL fire, something tells me the headline would've been somewhat different. Please NO ONE take fire safety advice from this fool. It is NEVER safe to throw water on an electrical fire.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
matroom
says...
5:30pm Mon 11 Jun 12
matroom
says...
5:34pm Mon 11 Jun 12
powerwatt wrote:All i was trying to get at was, people, as a rule nowadays,are too busy to get there phones out rather than do something. Obviously all the sad c you next tuesdays on this site, instead of nicely pointing out my error decide to ridicule it instead. Nice bunch on here !!!!
matroom wrote:That would definitely be a contender for the Darwin awards.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
Magicman!
says...
1:36am Tue 12 Jun 12
My risk assesment throws up option B as being a better bet. Unless you like running around with your pants on fire.
matroom
says...
10:48am Tue 12 Jun 12
Ruby_Fury
says...
12:39pm Tue 12 Jun 12
I understand your point of people being quicker to watch than help, but surely your own error of thinking shows that maybe it is safer to watch than help? Unless you know for certain how to "help" then surely the best way to help is to stand back and let the professionals do their jobs.
matroom
says...
12:42pm Tue 12 Jun 12
Ruby_Fury wrote:I disagree, i think theres every reason for name calling. ESPECIALLY the vile ones !!! Only way to get a reaction from them !!
Matroom - although you made a mistake and the people on here may have ridiculed rather than advised, at least they weren't verbally abusive. There is no need for name calling...ESPECIALLY vile ones like you have put.
I understand your point of people being quicker to watch than help, but surely your own error of thinking shows that maybe it is safer to watch than help? Unless you know for certain how to "help" then surely the best way to help is to stand back and let the professionals do their jobs.
matroom
says...
1:06pm Tue 12 Jun 12
York1900
says...
5:39am Wed 13 Jun 12
TheTruthHurts wrote:TheTruthHurts says...
matroom wrote:Shouldnt use water on an electrical fire.
It amazes me that people will stand around waiting for the fire brigade and instead of trying to put the fire out, film it on their iphone/cool smart phone/ipad !!! If that was me it would have been buckets of water off everyone near by, and yes, it probably wouldnt have put it all out but could of kept it at bay.
'
Anyone else think that 'heavy rainfall causes fire' doesnt really add up. surely its to do with some shoddy fitting.
10:41am Mon 11 Jun 12
Anyone else think that 'heavy rainfall causes fire' doesnt really add up. surely its to do with some shoddy fitting.
____________________
__________
YORK1900
This is how it happens
electrical cabling get hot expands and water gets in result is a fire
cabling is surrounded with bitumen to keep water out
once water get in
electricity brakes water down in to 2 atoms of hydrogen 1 atom of oxygen and then burns the bitumen, hydrogen and oxygen hence the fire
Water will all ways find a way in no matter how well you try to keep it out
matroom says...
10:24am Mon 11 Jun 12