Y2K Test Starts Fire

Y2K Test Starts Fire - (VAIL) -- A Y-two-K test ended in flames at a Vail resort last Friday. Tests were being run on a generator to prepare for the new year. The generator caught fire, and smoke began pouring out of a chimney at the Cascade Resort. The fire quickly was put out, but 70 guests had to be evacuated.

-- Pete (pberry1_98@yahoo.com), November 22, 1999

Answers

For a year now we've been reading about back-up generator failures. Big problem.

It seems uncontrollable multiple fires will be a concern in January, when so many ppl try out their gennies for the first time and don't really know what they're doing. Plus all the candle / lamp lighting in the dark. With water pressure out & no electricity & zero phones, 911 out, imagine the spread of fire. Lotsa folks bought "supplies" staying shrinkwrapped, thinking "If this Y2K thingie amounts to nothing I'll return _______ and get my money back."

Got battery operated smoke alarms, long hose, multiple buckets to form a bucket brigade. Thank God we're a few feet away from a swimming pool.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 22, 1999.

Those generators people purchased and did not properly install will either kill a lineman working on a pole, or they'll get their generator and everything tied to it fried. Need to think about power surges too. Maybe a carbon monoxide alarm would be another item to have installed and several fire extinguishers, could save your life.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 22, 1999.

Y2K was not the cause of the fire to the generator. Improper installation was the cause. You will also find many generators manufatured in a hurry, due to the huge demand for the product, to also be the cause for fires. Firemen and Lawyers will be very busy in 40 plus day's. Have you seen an increase of adds to hire new firemen or for volunteers to be firemen in the last few weeks?. How about the increase of fire alarms awareness adds?. Dont kill a lineman next year. PLEASE!. If you are going to have a generator, learn how to use it properly. Thanks, your friendly lineman.

-- Pl (Powerlineman@power.com), November 22, 1999.