`gas fitter` burns cable - arcing occurs penetrating gas pipe - then explosion !

[chris murphy]

"Hello All",

I have just read about this Today in the Installer Magazine [Gas related]:

A `Gas Fitter` soldered a copper joint on a Gas pipe next to an Electrical cable - He burned the insulation on the cable which He `repaired` by putting some insulation tape over the burnt area - arcing then occurred which melted a Hole in the copper gas pipe.

This obviously leaked Gas into the Home and when the Householder - a Pensioner [with no sense of smell] went to light his Cooker there was an Explosion.

I hope that the picture will attach below - here a link to the article in the Installer magazine:

Gas fitter puts pensioner in a coma | Installer Online


The Pensioner had burns to 58% of His body - He was in a Coma for some time and His Home was severely damaged with Walls blown down and Windows blown out.


When I glanced through the article I did not notice anything about the `Gas Fitter` working illegally with Gas so I assume that He was a registered Gas Installer [!] - although His knowledge of `Safe working` and His appreciation / respect / knowledge of Electrical installations / Cables is obviously non existent !


He was prosecuted - I think that I read He received a 6 Month suspended sentence - a Curfew - 300 hours Community service and £1000.00 Court costs.


Regards,

Chris

 

[derek]

I'm surprise the bloke who did it only got a suspended sentence.

 

[baz9799]

Unbelievable......

i guess he doesn't own a soldering mat then!!!!

 

[moospark]

Tried to think of a response. Words fail.

 

[Farmelectrics]

It's about time there was a clamp down on cowboys and that goes for are trade as we'll not acceptable a mate of mine who's not a time served plumber but still fair play to him went to college got his city and guilds and off he went on his own now foolishly I give him a chance in my house doing some basic plumbing work and wow and behold disaster water everywhere you can't beat time served people ha ha moan over

 

[Silly Sausage]

you can't beat time served people

Chris' case, and maybe yours, I put down to simple plain stupidity!
Anyone with two brain cells to rub together would realise what they're doing there isn't right.
The only tool people like this should have access to is a shovel and work down the sewage farm.

 

[micknew]

They should of hanged him.

 

[ArseyDee]

What a mess. And what happened to the 25mm separation between gas pipe and cables?

 

[chris murphy]

Unbelievable......

i guess he doesn't own a soldering mat then!!!!

"Hello baz9799"

He would have job to get a Heatproof Mat in because the Gas pipe ridiculously close to the edge of the board !

There is NO way that Pipe of any kind should be that close to the join between Floorboards / Board sheets - let alone a GAS pipe !

This Idiot could never be classed as a `Tradesman` !

Regards,

Chris

 

[Engineer54]

Considering all this damage that was done to the property, those T+E cables came out of it virtually unscathed

 

[PEG]

That's explosions for you,petals still on flowers,concrete blown apart...There must be one of these disasters per thousand cock-ups as you see potential disasters every day. One recent observation was a lady who had new floors,timbers and skirting fitted in the hall and the terminator with the paslode managed to get a 90mm ring shank through BOTH sides of a 22mm copper gas pipe. It was all shiny and sticking out about 15mm,no leak and,for the sake of science,i tested it with the fairy liquid-not a bubble! I have retained the 2" piece with the nail still in place in order to show lads that it can happen without knowledge of any immeadiate danger,ie; i can't smell out',all's well...:dunce2: