Fire Destroys Home After Firefighters Leave

[FF402 133]

Home Burns Hours After Firefighters Examine Electrical Outlet

Fire Destroys Home After Firefighters Leave

March 2nd, 2006

(LOUISVILLE) -- Members of a Shively family says sloppy work by firefighters cost them their home. That's because it burned down just hours after firefighters gave the all clear. WAVE 3 Investigator Eric Flack reports.

The Todd family lost almost everything in a fire they say could have been prevented.

On the morning of February 7th, Shun Todd woke up to flames coming from an outlet in his room where a space heater was plugged in. Shun put out the fire, and his parents called the Shively Fire Department.

"We called the fire department to be safe, rather than sorry," says Shun's father, Roger, who owns the home.

Roger's wife, Sheila says "this is so frustrating, because it could have been prevented had Shively Fire Department done their job."

After firefighters arrived, Shun says they examined the outlet and "said go get an electrician, the plug still works, everything's fine."

He says he "wasn't skeptical -- it's the fire department, these are trained professionals."

But that afternoon, the smoke alarm went off again.

"The whole room was smoky," Sheila says, "and I look right directly at the outlet, and a gush of fire was coming out of the outlet ... the same outlet that they supposedly looked at that morning and said it was OK.

This time, the entire top floor was engulfed in flames. Sheila, who was home alone, made it out unharmed, and the Shively Fire Department returned.

But by that time, seven hours after the first call, the damage had been done.

The Todds believe the fire had been burning inside their walls all day. And they think their home would have been saved if firefighters had just done a more thorough check the first time they were called.

The Shively Fire Chief said the fire was under investigation, but had no comment on the Todds' allegations.

The Todds say electricity was cut to the upstairs after the first fire, so they don't believe faulty wiring could have sparked the second blaze.

[Guest]

Homeowner wakes up, see flames from an outlet and extinguishes it, then calls the fire department. It is now the fire departemnts responsibility to ensure that all fire has been extinguished. The article does not say if the department checked the walls or not, however I am going to say since the article says the family is saying the fire may have been burning inside their walls all day, and they think their home would have been saved if firefighters had just done a more thorough check the first time they were called leads me to belive they did not open up the walls. Maybee they used the TIC, however if they mis read it, it can be possible that the fire was still burning inside the walls. It sounds like power was turned of to the room where this occured after the first fire so that as well leads me to belive that the fire may have been smoldering in the walls.

Either way it is very bad PR for this department.

[IzzyEng4 427]

This sounds like it could be a classic case of "blame the FD for my messup." It sounds like the story is not the whole one. Hopefully the FD that responded saw the problem and cut the power to this plug by shutting off the breaker and giving the owner the proper instructions to get it repaired and not to use the circuit untill it was fixed. If the fire started again, well that could only mean only this, they didn't call an electrician to fix the problem and turned the breaker back on after the FD left. I've seen this too may times. Hopefully the FD didn't overlook anything and documented everything they did.

If the FD didn't do their jobs as well like nutty1 said, then they are to blame also. The whole story should come out soon. Either way it is bad.

[Guest JQP442]

I cant see how the FD is to blame on this one. They checked and made sure the fire was out and toled the homeowner to"go get an electrician" It has been some time since I took basic but I dont remember getting an electricians license then. I dont know how anyone could blame the FD IF and ONLY IF, they did do there job and looked into the walls.

Edited March 6, 2006 by JQP442

[cas2383 22]

FD Should have disabled the plug via the breaker and always check the walls as a precaution, maybe with a heat gun thermal imager or the back of your hand. On top of that maybe just pop up in the attic to make sure theres no visible smoke to at least cover your bases...wasn't there dont know if any of that was done or not but it is for sure a good thing to keep in mind.

[Guest]

Bottom line is that the homeowner reported a fire in the area of the electrical outlet. By shutting off the power you may have eliminated the source, but you won't eliminate the possibility that fire spread to other materials such as insulation. The walls should have been checked for extension. This department failed to thoroughly address the problem the first time.

Nutty1 I agree about TIC the technology is great, but know its limitations. There is no super tool that can replace common sense.

[capt36 9]

Bottom line is that the homeowner reported a fire in the area of the electrical outlet. By shutting off the power you may have eliminated the source, but you won't eliminate the possibility that fire spread to other materials such as insulation.  The walls should have been checked for extension. This department failed to thoroughly address the problem the first time. 

Nutty1 I agree about TIC the technology is great, but know its limitations. There is no super tool that can replace common sense.

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I think the resposibility is the FDs. Yes, thermal imaging cameras are a good tool, but give me a set of irons any time. Sheetrock is cheap.

[firecapt32 282]

I aggree with capt 36 when in doubt open up. never leave the home owner with any doubt. They should have shut off the breaker, opened the outlet, capped the wires at least, looked behind the outlet for any extension.

[TRUCK6018 50]

I cant see how the FD is to blame on this one. They checked and made sure the fire was out and toled the homeowner to"go get an electrician"

The walls should have been checked for extension. This department failed to thoroughly address the problem the first time.

It appears by the comments that ensue from this discussion is there were members of this board at this fire. The first comment said the fire department checked and made sure the fire was out. The second comment said the department failed to address the problem.

The only thing the article said regarding the FD's actions the first time is:

After firefighters arrived, Shun says they examined the outlet and "said go get an electrician, the plug still works, every thing's fine."

Note, this is a statement from the homeowner, not from any PIO, officer or member of the Shively Fire Department. The statement says the outlet was "examined". It does not say to what level.

I don't think it is proper to speculate regarding this tragic and controversial issue. In time, hopefully, a statement will be made public regarding the outcome of the investigation. Until then, lets not point fingers. While this time it involves a department over a thousand miles away, the next time it may be closer to home.

[Guest]

Instead of trying to read whats not there, Read what is there. The fire was coming out of the outlet that was inspected by the FD. By the FD leaving this scene they deemed it safe to live there.The FD that responded to this alarm is clearly at fault and damm lucky nobody was killed. If anything this should serve as a training example, and make us all re-evauluate the way we operate, and be sure this does not happen a 1000 miles closer.

[TRUCK6018 50]

Instead of trying to read whats not there, Read what is there.

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While I agree with what you say to a point, we all know how biased the media can be. Again, this is just one side of the story. The general public doesn't know or understand everything that happens when fire departments operate. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to defend the fire department at question. However, I believe in seeing all the facts before passing judgement.