Electrical fire

[redlittle]

We had an electrical fire at home on Friday, no real harm done but the wife and the kids are shaken up a bit. A forensic investigation company came to took picture of the damage and then took the unit away for inspection.

I emailed them earlier asking when the report will be concluded, what I got was an email back from UK Power Networks saying that I am not privileged to see the report and the findings of the fire are not their responsibility, but mine as the home owner.

What I really want is to ask if there anyone out there that would be prepared to take a look at the pictures I took before the unit was taken away, and just give me your independent view of what could have caused the fire?

I am really not in a position to be able to hire a lawyer so I would need to go to the CAB to act on my behalf if need be.

If anyone is happy to take a look at the pictures then please send me a PM with your email address and I will forward them on.

Thank you

 

[telectrix]

what is this unit you are referring to?

 

[redlittle]

what is this unit you are referring to?

I have no idea I am not an electrician at all, I just after some advice as to what the cause could have been.

Someone I sent the pictures too earlier seem to think that there could be some issues with the way the unit was put together so like I said I just would like someone to take a look for me and see what you think.

If you can take a look at the picture it would be much appreciated.

 

[JamesBrownLive]

I have no idea I am not an electrician at all, I just after some advice as to what the cause could have been.

Someone I sent the pictures too earlier seem to think that there could be some issues with the way the unit was put together so like I said I just would like someone to take a look for me and see what you think.

If you can take a look at the picture it would be much appreciated.

Well stick the piccys on here so we can all see !

Cheers

 

[vernam616]

Ive had a look, i reckon the tails were loose in the top of the DPI

 

[redlittle]

 

[1shortcircuit]

There's the problem in the first picture... Someone pulled the fuse:38:

 

[Welchyboy]

someone didnt tighten their terminals properly, looks like a new supply installation, could be the EDF man has some explaining to do :uhoh2:

 

[Deleted member 19807]

i would also say it started on your side of the isolator,

Who were the last people to work on it, was it the distribtors or have you had an electrician in since the isolator was fitted?

 

[vernam616]

Distributors never usually connect the outgoing tails, well they never have on new build sites ive worked on, its always been down to us to connect the meter tails and main earth into the pme cutout

 

[mogga]

Exactly what I was thinking Vern Looks like it could be the electrical contractor who connected the tails to the DP Isolator In which case the DNO may also look for the cost of meter from insurance

 

[vernam616]

The picture definatly shows that as the root of the fire, the only other explanation could be a faulty DPI, which is then a manufactuers problem, which could in turn lead to the inspection of DPIs just like the wylex breaker situation, i changed some of them wylex breakers last year as the company i work for had the contract, on removal some were pretty scary, the side of some mcb,s had heat/char spots in certain places

 

[Infamous]

That looks like the DP isolator on the load side which has caused the fire. You need to establish who fitted that isolator or last worked on it. It could well be the last contractor to work on it didnt tighten the terminals up properly. It could also be the supply companies fault if theyve been asked to fit an isolator for isolation purposes post build and have connected both sides up. Either that or a faulty product but it definately looks like more of the case the fire originated from the terminals on the load side.

 

[Knobhead]

Red, I’ll apologise for the idiot comment by 1shortcircuit.

It does look as if, as others have said the seat of the fire was the isolator. Has this now been removed for investigation, if it hasn’t then ask for an independent consultant. It’s somebody’s responsibility, it’s a mater of tying it down to who.

 

[micknew]

In the South East the electricity supplier (EDF) will no allow anything on their meter board.
It's possible that the RCCD has been added by someone after connection by the supplier, should not be there.
Either way the connections to the RCCS are on the consumers side of the unit so not the responsibility of the electricity supplier.