This is NOT one of those urban Internet tales but from a report on fires and their sources.
Some of you may know that the last years of my career were spent as a cruise ship Safety and Security Officer. Once ashore I was a STCW instructor and also taught firefighting, some of my students were active firefighters gaining an understanding of shipboard fire sources and on board firefighting. As a result NAUTICAL LOG recieves, on occasions, copies of reports such as the one received this morning on house fires and sources.
SOURCE;
An Investigator for a property insurance company was trying to pinpoint the cause of a serious house fire that completly destroyed the home. After sifting through the ashes for several hours he developed some ideas and placed the source in the master bathroom. Sitting down with the homeowners he asked them if they used and had possibly left plugged in the usual things, curling irons, blow dryer or electric shaver. The answers were negative as he expected since there was no remains of any such equipment. He said "this would be something that would disintegrate at high temperature". Then the homeowner remembered they had a 'Plug-in' air freshener. Experiments showed that this was indeed the cause of the fire that destroyed the home.
WARNING SIGNS;
In those having a combined night light there may be an indicator, in the other types their is really none. The light dimming, going out and finally coming on again once the unit cooled. The unit is getting too hot and rather than blowing the light bulb it just goes out, cools and comes on again. However the prongs are now hotter and heating inside the wall socket. As you can figure out it is fairly easy for a fire to start inside the wall unit. The heating spreads through wiring and wall and can burst into flame.
NAUTICAL LOG suggests and requests that you check out your homes, boats, RV's et cetera and please pass this on to friends, neighbors, and shipmates.
Some of you may know that the last years of my career were spent as a cruise ship Safety and Security Officer. Once ashore I was a STCW instructor and also taught firefighting, some of my students were active firefighters gaining an understanding of shipboard fire sources and on board firefighting. As a result NAUTICAL LOG recieves, on occasions, copies of reports such as the one received this morning on house fires and sources.
SOURCE;
An Investigator for a property insurance company was trying to pinpoint the cause of a serious house fire that completly destroyed the home. After sifting through the ashes for several hours he developed some ideas and placed the source in the master bathroom. Sitting down with the homeowners he asked them if they used and had possibly left plugged in the usual things, curling irons, blow dryer or electric shaver. The answers were negative as he expected since there was no remains of any such equipment. He said "this would be something that would disintegrate at high temperature". Then the homeowner remembered they had a 'Plug-in' air freshener. Experiments showed that this was indeed the cause of the fire that destroyed the home.
WARNING SIGNS;
In those having a combined night light there may be an indicator, in the other types their is really none. The light dimming, going out and finally coming on again once the unit cooled. The unit is getting too hot and rather than blowing the light bulb it just goes out, cools and comes on again. However the prongs are now hotter and heating inside the wall socket. As you can figure out it is fairly easy for a fire to start inside the wall unit. The heating spreads through wiring and wall and can burst into flame.
NAUTICAL LOG suggests and requests that you check out your homes, boats, RV's et cetera and please pass this on to friends, neighbors, and shipmates.
It is a very serious issue and you may just save a life which could be your own.
Good Watch
Good Watch
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