Posted: Monday, May 19, 2014 11:41 pm | Updated: 11:42 pm, Mon May 19, 2014.

Faulty wiring causes fire By Leader-Telegram staff Leader-Telegram

An electrical wiring fault caused a fire in an Eau Claire home Sunday afternoon that caused as estimated $5,000 in damage.

The fire at 709 E. Grand Ave. was reported at 3:14 p.m. Crews responding encountered light smoke and discovered smoldering wood in an interior wall and ceiling.

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Faulty wiring causes fire

A manager who was called in to shut down the former Rudd government's home insulation scheme has told an inquiry of the toll it took on the program's staff.

Today is expected to be the final hearing day in Brisbane of the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program.

Public servant Martin Bowles was shifted from the Defence Department to oversee the scheme's termination in 2010.

He says the program caused so much anxiety in the Environment Department, some staff left their jobs with stress-related conditions.

"Even if we fast-forward into the work I did, there were some pretty stressful circumstances," he said.

"I would suggest people probably also left during my tenure there because of the stress of the circumstances."

Master Electricians Australia chief executive officer Malcolm Richards told the commission today many insulation installers had "near-misses" before the first death linked to the national roll-out.

He told today's hearing he was receiving "several calls a week" from members concerned about safety switches being tripped by installers stapling foil insulation into wiring.

Mr Richards says he was preparing a warning letter for then-environment minister Peter Garrett when Matthew Fuller was electrocuted in 2009.

"I wanted the foil suspended immediately, until it could be sorted out a safe way to reintroduce it," he said.

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Home insulation royal commission: Some program staff left with stress-related conditions

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WICHITA, Kan. -- A home south of Valley Center caught fire Saturday night, causing $100,000 in damage.

The homeowner saw smoke coming from his garage and called 911. When crews arrived, they found a substantial fire inside.

One possible cause fire investigators are looking at is the electrical wiring in the ceiling.

Many times, the electrical wiring in light fixtures gets brittle from the heat of the light bulb and starts to degrade.

Service electrician Richard Brown from Decker Electric says that the wrong wattage bulb can cause failure and fire. "'Make sure that your light socket doesn't show signs of burning, smelling or discoloration in the metal," Brown said, "and use the proper rated lamps in the rated fixtures." That is an indicator that the lighting assembly is overheating and prone to fail.

Electrical outlets can also pose a problem. When an electrical plug is loose in the socket and tends to fall out, that is an indicator that the outlet is going bad. Brown says that when you have to bend the prongs on the plug to keep it from falling out of the outlet, it can cause the electricity to arc when plugged in, which releases heat and can cause a fire.

Each year, FEMA estimates 28,000 house fires are caused by electrical problems, that is 10 percent of all house fires nationwide and around 1,300 people are hurt or killed in these fires.

Brown suggest that you have an electrician inspect your wiring once a year to look for problems stating, "to have a service technician to come out once a year is a lot cheaper than a loss of life or property."

A reminder, never try and put out an electrical fire with water. A fire extinguisher rated Class-C is required, it has the correct chemical composition to put out an electrical fire.

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UPDATE: Valley Center house fire causes $100,000 in damage

Perfect Circuit recently announced the launch of http://www.perfectcircuit.net as an information portal for Somerset County metro homeowners to find information about Electrician and Electrical Repairs solutions. With articles being added almost every day and an online monthly newsletter of home improvement tips, the website is anticipated to quickly become Somerset Countys primary resource website for Electrical Repairs and Electrical Wiring information.

Future plans include educational guides on selecting an Electrical Repairs contractor, professional advice from local Electrician experts, and a question and answer forum for Somerset County homeowners.

Development of other community minded features for http://www.perfectcircuit.net are already underway and new user awareness guides from expert Electrical Repairs Contractors are already being added on how best to beautify your home with any budget, guides on maintenance and repair, to what everybody should know about the latest Electrical Repairs and Electrical Wiring materials and designs before starting any property improvement project.

The website will be an invaluable resource for homeowners in finding accessible information to address their Electrical Repairs , Electrical Wiring and Electrical Troubleshooting needs. Information will be efficiently categorized for easy navigation.

The owner of Perfect Circuit, Ken Bender stated, Our goal is to be the best home and family resource center and information portal for assisting all Somerset County homeowners with their Electrical Repairs needs. The depth of knowledge and resources at http://www.perfectcircuit.net is simple, concise and offers every homeowner some information about their home.

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Somerset County Electrician Contractor Launches Information Portal On Electrical Repairs, Electrical Wiring And ...

Mattresses, bed springs, and clothes sit on the lawn of Laquita's Boarding House, now these homes are shut down.

"The conditions we ran into were deplorable," said Chief John Wiggins with the Bayou La Batre Fire Department.

Chief Wiggins says his department received a 911 call from the residence, "When we got on the scene. One of the staff members was yelling telling them that he did not have authority to call 911. That raised the red flag to our guys."

Three homes are on the property. He says none of them meet standard codes.

"Absolutely no smoke alarms, in any of the structures. no fire extinguishers, exposed wiring in some of the rooms, exit doors locked as well as blocked, steps removed from the mobile home structure so the patients couldn't get out the back."

So the State Fire Marshall was called in.

"We've been here 9 years and no one has ever called or complained," said Abraham Johnson the owner's son.

Johnson calls it a misunderstanding, "When the state came out they were under the assumption that this was a state house. So they went by the state rules and said you can't have this and have that. We let them know it's not a group home it's a boarding home."

The definition of a group home is a home where a small number of unrelated people in need of care, support, or supervision can live together, such as those who are elderly or mentally ill. A boarding home is simply a house providing food and lodging for paying guests.

"I'm sure there's a difference in a boarding home and what she's running. These patients are mentally challenged. I'm not sure where she's getting her funding. I know these patients as she states may be free to come and go but none of them can drive. They are not able to make clear cut decisions. She's being funding through some agency and I think the county needs to step up and find out," the chief said.

Link:
Bayou Fire Chief Shuts Down Boarding Home

by Catherine Holland

Video report by Heidi Goitia

Posted on May 14, 2014 at 7:34 AM

Updated yesterday at 7:40 AM

PHOENIX -- Investigators believe an electrical issue sparked an early morning fire at a Phoenix home Wednesday.

It happened in the neighborhood northwest of 41st Avenue and McDowell Road. Eight crews responded at about 5:30 a.m.

The homeowner was not home when the fire started because the house is undergoing renovations.

While they have not pinpointed the cause yet, investigators said it looks like there might have been a problem with the wiring in the attic.

Because it was a "very active fire" with quite a bit of heavy smoke and flames, crews quickly went defensive.

Firefighters limited the damage to the inside of the home. The external structure is still sound.

The rest is here:
Electrical wiring possibly to blame for house fire in Phoenix

May is Electrical Safety Month and a good time to review electrical safety practices. Increasing electrical safety awareness, following electrical safety guidelines and using tools and technology designed to address electrical hazards are all components of a safety program.

What causes the top electrical hazards? Many are the result of the growing use of electrical power, combined with electrical systems that are over 20 years old. Wiring hazards are both a major cause of electrocutions and home fires, killing hundreds and injuring thousands each year. Misuse of surge suppressors, power strips and extension cords is also a cause of electrocutions and fires.

Contact with power lines and major appliances contribute to hundreds of deaths annually, both at home and in the workplace. Eliminating these electrical hazards will help reduce deaths and injuries.

Eliminating electrical hazards begins with education and awareness. A focus on electrical safety, both at home and in the workplace, can prevent the hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and billions of dollars in economic losses that occur each year because of electrical hazards.

Use of tools and technology can also make our reliance on electrical power less hazardous. Investing in ground vault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), circuit testers and where necessary, personal protective equipment (PPE), can significantly reduce risk.

Eliminate top safety threats to prevent electrical injuries

We recommend that taking the proper steps to eliminate the top electrical safety threats around the home can prevent thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths that needlessly occur each year.

The top electrical safety hazards include:

Electrical fires caused by aging wiring.

Misuse of surge suppressors and extension cords.

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Eliminate the top electrical safety threats around your home

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Former Rudd government minister Peter Garrett will front the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Scheme in Brisbane on Tuesday.

The minister spruiking the home insulation program promised to ring alarm bells if there was any risk of death from the program but did nothing after the first insulation installer died, an inquiry into the program has been told.

The allegation was made during cross-examination of the former Labor senator and minister assisting the prime minister for service delivery, Mark Arbib, during his appearance at the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Scheme in Brisbane on Monday.

Four installers died during the program the first, Matthew Fuller, was electrocuted on October 14, 2009, less than four months after the main program started.

Former Labor senator Mark Arbib said he did not have decision-making authority in relation to the program. Photo: Andrew Meares

Mr Arbib, the first Rudd government minister to appear at the inquiry, had previously given a statement saying he did not have decision-making authority in relation to the program and was not involved in formulating the operational or technical detail a position he reiterated during his evidence to the inquiry.

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He told the inquiry that had he known there was any risk of injury and death to installers from electrocution he would have been spoken to the prime minister and Peter Garrett, and would have been "ringing alarm bells".

Under cross examination by Elizabeth Wilson, representing the family of Rueben Barnes, 16, who died in November 2009 installing insulation, Mr Arbib said the possibility of someone being electrocuted had never been raised to him.

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Royal commission into home insulation hears Mark Arbib 'did nothing' after first death

Former Labor senator Mark Arbib says he takes responsibility for "his role" in the Rudd government's failed home insulation scheme, but claims he was unaware of the inherent safety risks involved in the program.

Mr Arbib gave evidence on Monday at the royal commission investigating what advice the then-Labor federal government received about the $2.8 billion scheme and whether the deaths of four installers could have been avoided.

Queenslanders Matthew Fuller, Rueben Barnes, Mitchell Sweeney, and Marcus Wilson from NSW, lost their lives during the rollout of the stimulus scheme in 2009.

Michael Windsor, QC, who is representing insulation companies at the inquiry, asked Mr Arbib whether he was aware of what was in the roof cavity of his own home.

"Well, I haven't been up there ... I couldn't tell you," Mr Arbib replied.

"Did you know, prior to 2009, that wiring ran through roof spaces?" Mr Windsor asked.

"I don't think I did, no," Mr Arbib replied. "I have had no experience in terms of electrical wiring."

"But isn't it just common knowledge?" Mr Windsor said.

"I'm not sure how a roof is configured in terms of wiring," Mr Arbib replied.

Three of the four installers who died were electrocuted.

Read more:
Home insulation royal commission: Mark Arbib doesn't recall if safety concerns raised

Former Labor senator Mark Arbib says he takes responsibility for "his role" in the Rudd government's failed home insulation scheme, but claims he was unaware of the inherent safety risks involved in the program.

Mr Arbib gave evidence on Monday at the royal commission investigating what advice the then-Labor federal government received about the $2.8 billion scheme and whether the deaths of four installers could have been avoided.

Queenslanders Matthew Fuller, Rueben Barnes, Mitchell Sweeney, and Marcus Wilson from NSW, lost their lives during the rollout of the stimulus scheme in 2009.

Michael Windsor, QC, who is representing insulation companies at the inquiry, asked Mr Arbib whether he was aware of what was in the roof cavity of his own home.

"Well, I haven't been up there ... I couldn't tell you," Mr Arbib replied.

"Did you know, prior to 2009, that wiring ran through roof spaces?" Mr Windsor asked.

"I don't think I did, no," Mr Arbib replied. "I have had no experience in terms of electrical wiring."

"But isn't it just common knowledge?" Mr Windsor said.

"I'm not sure how a roof is configured in terms of wiring," Mr Arbib replied.

Three of the four installers who died were electrocuted.

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'I wasn't aware of safety worries'