Consumer unit fire - advice please

[Groundhog]

Hoping for some advice please. Has anyone had the unfortunate experience of a domestic consumer unit fire 2 years after work carried out. Basically I changed the fuse box 5 years ago - all relevant tests carried out at that time were fine with no problems.Then in 2011 I went back to do some further work again - all relevant tests carried out and correct. No contact from customer since last visit until last week when his insurance company contacted me stating there had been a fire in the consumer unit. As you can imagine this is an electricians worst nightmare and I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts/experience of this horrendous situation. No one injured thank God.

 

[gnselectricals]

Must be a nightmare for you, the spark I did my time with had one on a night storage board but luckily the client was sat directly under it at changeover & doused it with water

Was it a Wylex/volex/craptree/Newlec board as they had a recall a cpl of years ago as the 6/10/16 a mcbs were liable to spontaneously combust. Maybe something to check ?

 

[stuartcourt]

Nightmare my wife works in insurance and has just said dont speak to them have you got business insurance

 

[Groundhog]

Thanks for replies. Yes it is a nightmare as I have been a sparky for over 30 years and have never had anything remotely like this happen. I do have public liability insurance with neicic . It was a Protek 17th edition board.

 

[stuartcourt]

phone your insurance tomorrow and get them to deal with it my wife said anyone could have messed with board etc in that time you do not have brakes done on car and then sue 2 years later, easy for me to say but if you know you did your job then it could have been any number of reasons water spilt on it for instance. She deals with this all the time and does not think after over a year it will land on your doorstep. Dont think you will be going back though.

 

[Groundhog]

Thanks very much. I have phoned my insurance company and they were quite laid back about it but even so it has come as a very unwelcome shock. I haven't heard from the guy for 2 years then this. He told me he has never had a days problem with the electrics until this happened.
thanks for the advice - much appreciated,

 

[MDJ]

Anything can happen in 2years, I bet your insurance company won.t pay out and you won,t be to blame

 

[stuartcourt]

NO prob and there is a thanks button trying to build mine up and good luck could happen to anyone

 

[44ALLAN]

Also ...........change your name mate just in case

 

[Groundhog]

Yes good point Allan. Please God No

 

[Groundhog]

Hi guys. Update. One of the indications is that the main 16mm solid neutral bar between the main switch and the main neutral terminal bar was loose at the terminal bar. However with this type of board - Protec - as you know it's virtually a push fit and you can only get one single turn onto the screw. Bear in mind the CU was fitted over 4 years ago with a revisit 2 years ago for some additional work where there was no sign of any problems and the terminal tightness would have been re checked. Does anyone know of any examples of badly cut threads in the terminal bars giving false impression of tightness as this was a solid connecting bar where a traditional tug test would have shown nothing.
Any other ideas please. Remain devastated.

 

[telectrix]

as previously stated. stop worrying. let your insurers handle it. if it's a product failure, they'll go after protek. either way, i'd use a different DB in future.

 

[Groundhog]

Thanks telectrix. I just find it hard to accept that in 4 years when anything could have happened It looks like my insurance will have to pay. I am thinking now about all the other protec boards I have put in and feel like re visiting incase there is a problem. under the sale of goods act because I provided the CU I am liable even if they were fitted correctly and on the day all was top notch!!! I'm just gutted this has happened as you can well imagine. Thanks for reply.

 

[Marvo]

I'd say the event being 2 years after your previous visit and 4 years since the installation would suggest it's doubtful it was directly caused by your negligence. This and the fact you did all the relevant testing required and checked tightness of terminations means there was nothing you could have done differently.

It sounds like the householders insurance company are pursuing you for damages??? I suggest caution, you're obviously genuinely concerned about the fire and I'm guessing they've sensed this, maybe from correspondence or from phone calls and they think they might get get you to admit liability or at least partial liability.

My advice would be to get legal advice. Genuine concern about your work is an admirable quality but don't let it make you the victim in something that's only about money in the view of the other parties involved.

 

[telectrix]

exactly as marvo stated. the customer's first port of call is their insurers. they may then try and shift the blame to either you or protek. either way, it's in the insurers' hands and you should sit back and let them sort it. but never, never, admit liability, or it may jepordise any claim.