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Pictures taken Dec 28/06

Fire department said it was water in the meter that caused this meltdown. I have my doubts.

These old style meter bases ("A"-base meter) are very common around here and are used as a disconnecting means by the power company. There are forks that slide up and the screws tend to get worn to the point where it's difficult to get them tight. This is especially true with rental homes where the power is disconnected and reconnected frequently as tenants change. My theory is that the lugs were worn and couldn't be tightened enough.

House was vacant as owner was out of town for Christmas holidays....luckily a neighbor saw the meter burning up and called it in. Another good thing is the house is clad with stucco, which probably helped prevent a fire. We will be repairing it this week as the house is for sale.

- Randy
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