One step from disaster... A warning!

This is quite a boring image - but there is a story.

This is the breaker from our distribution board which failed late on Sunday night. It overheated, locked closed and caught fire. It was running at a load well below its rating. They are supposed to protect you from harm. This clearly did not.

I happened to be just a few feet away and managed to kill all the power within a few seconds and averted a possible disasterous fire.

This board was installed just over 2 years ago. The manufacturer accepts there is a fault but is only willing to compensate for the cost of replacing the breaker - I am not impressed.

If you had a new distribution board and breakers installed by Wylex, Crabtree, Volex, Newlec, Sector, Steeple or Alto after April 2009 - I susggest that you seek urgent advice. Your life and property may depend on it!