One Lucky Homeowner

[PoqFFEMT 6]

Here is an interesting situation that could have been much worse than it was today. First off a little info on my department makeup since I'm down here in Va. Poquoson Fire/Rescue is a paid /vol department. The paid crew are 24-7 coverage with 6-7 workers on the floor per shift, one LT and one Capt per shift as well working a 24 on 48 off sched. The Chief and Deputy work weekdays 9 - 5 but are on call at all other times. The paid crews are split between 2 stations, both with 2 medic units, 1 front line pumper each as well. Station one has a backup pumper while 2 has the ladder truck and medium duty rescue. The paid guys on the floor are all EMT-I or P's and rotate assignments each shift. The paid guys are supplemented by the volunteer crew of wich we have about 20 - 30 guys that are active.

So now I can tell you what went down today. At about 2:30 today we received to EMS calls at once, taking 4 paid guys out of pocket which left 3 guys on the floor to cover 2 stations asl well as the LT and Capt. Around 2:40 we got a call for a possible sturcture fire, heavy smoke in a residence. Both stations respond a engine, both with short crews. The Chief and Deputy get on scene within 2 min and sound a full alarm for a fire in the residence. I pull up as the first in engine is laying a line from the closest hydrant along with 3 other volunteers. On scene is a Verizon work crew that is installing FIOS to the house in question. It seems that they were drilling through an exterior wall to push the cable through into the house. The homeowner was inside when the power flickered, she heard a loud pop, all the power went out in the house and within 2 minutes the house was full of smoke. We go into the house and find that where the crew was drilling was directly under the main electrical service panel. We quickly found the fire with the TIC, opened up the wall and extinguished the small fire that was limited to the wall cavity.

Looking from the outside, the Verizon crew was about 10 feet to the right of where the meter was on the house. (In VA it's code to have the meter within three feet of the main breaker box) So as it seems, someone performed an non-permitted change some time ago. The installation crew had no idea that the electrical main was behind the wall they were drilling into. They just happened to catch the main feed line from the meter and went right through it. What's worse, when I was in the crawlspace under the house to chack for extention, there was a improperly capped gas main about 6 inches to the right of where the crew drilled into the wall. As it was, the only damage was contained to the wall cavity directly below the main breaker box.

So, we got lucky on this one in so many ways. We could have been really hit with a large job with a very short crew. We even found out later thet the closest mutual aid was working an extrication MVA on the road that they would would have been taking into our district.... So I ask you all, what's in your walls?

John

[markmets415 524]

Excellent story John as to why we never should assume things are where they are supposed to be, thanks for sharing.

[x129K 1,393]

Cob jobs and illegal alterations are EVERYWHERE! No jurisdiction is safe!

Edited April 16, 2009 by x129K

[notch138 7]

I must say being a Cablevision Tech this is every intersting to know. Thank you for sharing

[gamewell45 258]

I must say being a Cablevision Tech this is every intersting to know. Thank you for sharing

They were very lucky indeed; I have a friend on Long Island where the same thing happened while having cable service installed. He lost a bedroom and part of the kitchen by the time it was contained. From what he told me, his Insurance company sued the cable company for the damages.

[PoqFFEMT 6]

They were very lucky indeed; I have a friend on Long Island where the same thing happened while having cable service installed. He lost a bedroom and part of the kitchen by the time it was contained. From what he told me, his Insurance company sued the cable company for the damages.

Well I will give it to Verizon. the had a supervisor on scene before we even left and he was working with the homeowner telling her that they would pay for any and all damages...

Edited April 16, 2009 by PoqFFEMT

[AFS1970 504]

Back in the early 1980's, when cable TV first came to town, we had a similar although less disastrous even at my house. The installer was on the 1st floor and was drilling through the floor into the basement. He never went to look at what was underneath him. My mother was in the basement doing laundry and heard the drill bit come through above her head, so she looked up. The cable guy had drilled right through a fluorescent light fixture, somehow managing to miss all the wiring. We had no fire thankfully.

Your incident also should make us all realize that you need to train as if your mutual aid or automatic aid companies are not there and will not be there for some time. We all need to train as if we are working alone (on a company level). That way when you do have more manpower, it will be that much easier.

[ladder55 26]

we had a similar situation in elmsford a few weeks ago. a verizon fios tech drilled through an interior wall into the con ed meter on the exterior wall catching the siding on fire. it was knocked down quickly and the verizon tech was fine with the exception of probably his underwear.

[citystation1848 15]

Lucky indeed. The problem is with some of these ISP's, is they are too cheap to provide their techies with the best training possible, and when you're installing things in a residential setting, bear in mind its someones house. Verizon could see themselves with a nice lawsuit, if god forbid the house burned to the ground.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Also brings to mind the 1996 incident in Chesapeake, VA which 2 firefighters were killed in an Auto Parts Store. This fire was also due to an electrical mishap when a power company vehicle operator didn't realize his boom was still up and pulled the service out of the store causing a short.

Thanks for sharing that brother.

[PVFD113 6]

Lucky indeed. The problem is with some of these ISP's, is they are too cheap to provide their teaches with the best training possible, and when you're installing things in a residential setting, bear in mind its someones house. Verizon could see themselves with a nice lawsuit, if god forbid the house burned to the ground.

Speaking from experience, this is not always true. I have been on the communications field since 1990. Back then Bell Atlantic (NY Tel. NYNEX whatever) had a full training session before you were released--even as a temp employee. When I changed jobs to the Broadband side (well cable then) there was also an extensive training class. I can specifically remember being taught to look at both sides before drilling. Actually--was taught to drill from inside out after checking. Yes accidents happen. They can also be prevented or at least minimized. Use a tape measure and a "landmark". I know this is off topic--sorry. Most of the time it is laziness or not paying attention that causes this. At least the tech didn't keep going or try to hide it. Seen that too.

And for the record--yes I had a mishap as a young lad. Trying to rush and cut corners and caught the very edge of a service cable--my fault.

Anyway--just my $.02