Heck, that's no surprise. I don't think I've EVER seen a switchgear room that wasn't filled with out-of-season merchandise, didn't have HVAC, Plbg., etc. running through it, and also had both exits usable!
I suppose that the part that puzzles me are the fire sprinklers typically installed above NEMA-1 gear. Overload leads to heat, which trips sprinkler, which begins Great White-type pyrotechnics....
