Nearly had a BBQ at work today....

[T4M]

For almost 2 weeks I had noticed a sort of burning smell inside the electricity cupboard at my work. Opened the shop up as usual this morning and noticed the smell had become much stronger than before, so I phoned my boss and then the electricians. They came out half an hour later and saw that the main power cable come loose from the meter box.

After evacuating the shop, switching the power off and removing the power box did we see how bad the cable had burned. The plastic casing had completely melted, and almost all of the copper wires had split leaving on one to carry the whole power supply, it had charred most of the board behind it, and i also found out how close we came to having a freezer shop turned into a bakers!!

I'm still quite shocked by the whole thing as it was quite scary thinking if it had caught fire while i was in a locked shop on my own for 2 hours. Anyway, after tearing down a wall and getting the fuse box and wires replaced we managed to get the place back to normal.

I shall be seeking a reward for saving the shop.........

[Duncan]

Blimey!, good job ya spotted it!

[BlueRob]

Good you spot that out.......we don`t like "well done" (crispy) memebers around

[T4M]

Was good to get a day where we had no customers in! All the nosey people staring in the windows was a bit annoying though. The shops one of the busiest in the town so it was packed one we opened up again.

[rob 2.2dti]

A loose (or poor) connection has higher resistance and so heat builds up until something gives, wiring burnt out and fused to the connection a likely outcome. The most common cause of electrical failures and fires IMO

[tam]

good job fireman $tam just sit and chill!

for the rest of the night

[T4M]

good job fireman $tam just sit and chill!

for the rest of the night

I'm still a bit hyper, it was a b4stard of a day!!

[tam]

I'm still a bit hyper, it was a b4stard of a day!!

well you could have just let it go up in smoke and had a few days holiday

[T4M]

Thought about it but knowing Farmfoods they would have closed it. One was set on fire in England last year and they never re-opened it

[ed taylor]

Looks like you had a lucky escape there. you spotted it just in time.