Had an interesting call last night

[Spazz]

I priced up a CU change only 2 months ago from old BS3036 rewirable to a new 17th Ed board.
I quoted £250 (now £325)

He never came back to me - I had a call last night at 9pm - 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.

When I went in with the fire inspector we found a new 17th ed board - B&Q £50 job.
No stickers, no nothing!

Asked the home owner who installed it? - no answer
Did you install it? - Yes

When we pulled what was left of the cover off - we found that the main L&N had fused together (dont know why the main fuse didn't break)

Fire Officer has now refured this to LABC.


I think he has learned not to do the job himself!

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

 

[trev]

Interesting point there is "proceedings must take place within 6 months of the offence as per Magistrate's Court Act of 1980"
When does the offence occur? Is it the date of installation of the hooky CU or is it the discovery of the installation?
If it's the first, every clown and cowboy is in the clear....
"Mr Cowboy, I put it to you that you installed the consumer unit in a way that directly contravenes the builing regulations"
"Ah Mr Prosecuting Solicitor, I installed it more than six months ago so by law you can't do a thing. See you"

 

[Dave 85]

It says contractor responsible. If the guy did it in his own house its pretty much a victimless crime and I can't see any reason why he'd be prosecuted. Thats assuming the whole story isn't just a figament of Nics overactive imagination which I have a sneaking supsicion it might be.

 

[trev]

He's his own victim when his insurers ask for test certs then refuse to pay out. Serves him right.

 

[Octopus]

He's his own victim when his insurers ask for test certs then refuse to pay out. Serves him right.

Actually this is the best contribution so far as most insurers look for a way NOT to pay out so it could cost him much more than he thought he save in the first place. The report provided by the Fire Service WILL moire than likely, be the final nail in the coffin for his insurance claim.

 

[Dave 85]

I priced up a CU change only 2 months ago from old BS3036 rewirable to a new 17th Ed board.
I quoted £250 (now £325)

He never came back to me - I had a call last night at 9pm - 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 You tolded him to walk into a burning cupboard?
- I arrived to find Fire Brigade there putting the fire out.
So your emergency response time is actually as quick as the fire brigade?


When I went in with the fire inspector we found a new 17th ed board - B&Q £50 job.
No stickers, no nothing!
The whole cupboard was on fire but you could tell there were no stickers on the fuseboard that started said fire?

Asked the home owner who installed it? - no answer
Did you install it? - Yes

When we pulled what was left of the cover off - we found that the main L&N had fused together So they must have been put in the same terminal which would have taken out the main fuse the second he put it in.(dont know why the main fuse didn't break) Good question....if the L&N were fused together you would have had thousands of amps flowing through a 100amp fuse

Fire Officer has now refured this to LABC.


I think he has learned not to do the job himself!

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 So he'd already installed several C/U's in other peoples houses but rang an electrician for a quote when he wanted his own done?

Why were you there for four hours if the main fuse was removed, the whole C/U melted and the fire brigade were there?
What did you do during these 4 hours that justified £100?
As somone else has pointed out, why would he call the only person who knew he was having a CU change?
Since when have LABC been asking people to send them EICR's?


Personally I reckon you've made this story up.
If I am wrong, I apologise sincerely.

 

[trev]

What was this fire inspector's name Nicholas? The reason I ask is that my son's rugby coach (who is senior member of Tyne & Wear Fire Service)just came round and was horrified to read that a "civilian" was allowed into a fire scene and want to report him to the powers that be so that an enquiry can be made into the circumstances as he could have put you in an extremely hazardous situation

 

[Dave 85]

I was there for 4 hours in total - I got £100 for the callout - my rates are low but standard in this area.

I am doing the new install as well when the fire lot finish and the LABC finish as well.

The DNO are came out last night because the meter was in that cupboard and the whole place is full of foam now

Foam fire extinguishers are an absolute no no on electrical fires
Co2 is the only type suitable for electrical fires
Maybe the fire fighters arn't told this......

 

[Strima]

Foam fire extinguishers are an absolute no no on electrical fires
Co2 is the only type suitable for electrical fires
Maybe the fire fighters arn't told this......

Maybe they isolated the supply first as they do on any other electrical fire?

 

[Dave 85]

Maybe they isolated the supply first as they do on any other electrical fire?

What by pulling the main fuse?
Then spraying the open fuse carrier with foam?

 

[trev]

What by pulling the main fuse?
Then spraying the open fuse carrier with foam?

Absolutely, spray foam everywhere and isolate the street

 

[alarm man]

customer: help my house is on fire
999: have you tried phoning a spark
customer: yeah,told me to ring you..

:confused5::confused5:

 

[Guest55]

customer: help my house is on fire
999: have you tried phoning a spark
customer: yeah,told me to ring you..

:confused5::confused5:

^^^lolz , was thinking the same myself earlier
maybe a good time to test the smokes ? lol

 

[Guest123]

I wish - because I am now signing on

Signing on???......what about all these kitchens and new builds you told us about in an earlier thread???

 

[Octopus]

Signing on???......what about all these kitchens and new builds you told us about in an earlier thread???

Me puzzled too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do they know you are working??

 

[alarm man]

cough.....