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#119092 12/02/04 08:19 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Guys,
As you may be aware,I'm a Volunteer Fire Officer here in NZ.
We have a Brigade Photographer, Senior Fire-fighter Scott Mackenzie.
I just wanted to post some pics that he sent me just recently.
Electure or NJ_wireman, if you think these pics are inappropriate, please delete them!. [Linked Image]
First off:
A K-99 House fire , this was what it was like when we pulled up.
Upside of that incident was that Scotty learned how to use a camera looking through a Breathing Apparatus mask!. [Linked Image]
Down side of the whole thing was that I knocked Scotty over after this shot was taken, running back to the Appliance to call a Second Alarm!.

[Linked Image]

The house below started burning after we were sent to a hay-barn that is way out of the picture, the grass caught on fire, and so did the house, from the radiated heat!.
It was 38C(100F) that day, it seemed a lot warmer though.

[Linked Image]

Anyone that frequents the Non-US Area will know what I'm on about here, this was the 2nd house in this street to go on fire, the result of old Rubber Sheathed Cable, that has reached the end of it's life.
You can just see to the South if you look hard, the roof of the other house that caught fire, thanks for letting me know NOW Scotty!. [Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

{Message edited to get pics in right order}

{Message edited again to add extra comments}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-04-2004).]

#119093 12/02/04 09:10 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Just a couple more:
Below is a rather nasty Flat fire, 5 people died in this, it started about 5am the reason it's so light is because it was last Summer.

[Linked Image]

This is a HUGE Plantation fire that we were heading toward last Summer, that Scotty got a good picture of through the Appliance window.
There were 34 Appliances, 4 Helicopters and a Air-Tanker at that fire.
Believe me, if there are any smoke-jumpers reading this, I take my hat off to you guys!. [Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

This call was not cool at all, an articulated truck collected a car full of tourists that were driving on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend.
That's me on the left trying to make sure the grass doesn't catch on fire, because we all know what happens then, don't we!. [Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

I'll add the other pic of this too, from a different angle.

[Linked Image]

Lastly, here is Senior Station Officer Chris Price and I in Chemical Gear at a recent spill of Hydrochloric Acid.
[Linked Image]

{Message edited to add extra pic}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-02-2004).]

#119094 12/02/04 07:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
Very clear pics, Mike!
Sad tragedies, too. [Linked Image]

(What kind of trees make up your forest?)

#119095 12/02/04 07:59 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 29
C
Member
Trumpy: On Scotty's New Zealand fire Photos # 3:
To quote "this was the 2nd house in this street to go on fire, the result of old Rubber Sheathed Cable, that has reached the end of it's life." Presuming that the neighborhood is all of similar age and condition, did the firefighters perform any inspection of other non-involved structures for a basis for targeting the old cable? would be nice to get a couple of "pre-fire photos of some of the other structures to see if there is an inherent problem or if the old cable had some human assistance. Not uncommon here to reach 130 to 150 degrees in our desert attics and we have a lot of rubber covered, cloth covered and knob & tube that is still performing after fifty to a hundred plus years. Does New Zealand have any other problem causes besides age and heat, such as attic rodents? Would it be possible that Scotty could manage some home inspection photos that can demonstrate the nature of the wiring in a typical house attic for the members to reflect on.

#119096 12/03/04 06:17 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Electure,
Generally only white pine (Pinus Radiata) is grown here as a commercial crop.
I's used for building and also a great majority of it is sent overseas.
Tom,
This spate of fires started an investigation across the country of all buildings of this type.
The actual houses themselves are what we call "State" houses as they were built by the Government here in the early 1950's to provide low-cost housing to low-income families.
In some cases there are whole suburbs of these houses in some parts of the country, all built around the same time.

{Sorry the spelling is just the same, shocking!}

Mike :}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-04-2004).]

#119097 12/04/04 03:31 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Apparently, the software here doesn't allow me to add anymore pics under this topic.

#119098 12/04/04 05:42 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,116
Likes: 4
Member
Mike,

You can add more pictures, but not to the same post as the others above. There is a maximum # allowed per post, not per thread.

ie; The 'what you look like' thread has many more than you have here.

Bill

BTW, very nice pictures!


Bill
#119099 12/04/04 07:34 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 354
K
Member
I'm from the south island also. I have seen horrific incidences of TRS insulation falling apart. Especially coastal properties. Were we (NZ) the only ones to have this type of cable??
Unfortunately warning the owners of the dangers of this TRS in their homes often is not enough to persuade them to have it replaced. When was this TRS used, the fifties? ? ?

#119100 12/06/04 06:33 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
Gidday there Kiwi!!. [Linked Image]
Nice to see another person from New Zealand here.
Quote
Were we (NZ) the only ones to have this type of cable??
No we weren't, but we are one of the last places to get rid of it though.
England used it, in fact we imported TRS cable from there, you will see on any TRS cable, the words, the Manchester Cable company, that and BICC (British Independant Cable Company).
BTW, welcome to ECN!!. [Linked Image]

#119101 12/07/04 04:15 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 354
K
Member
G'day Trumpy. Thanks for posting those pictures and the info on State Houses. It reminded me that I've still got a couple of rubber circuits to remove from my parents house ( they live on Marine Parade in Christchurch across the road from the beach )

I am interested to know the amount of fires you have attended as a direct result of rubber wiring failing. I think perhaps a change to AS/NZS3000 or a government initiative to eradicate the TRS would be beneficial here. It would be a good boost for the domestic sparky industry and certainly make a lot of homes safer.

Hats off to you Volunteer Firefighters, alot of NZers owe their lives/property to your guys bravery. ( I'm trying to do the thumbs-up icon here but i don't know how to work it ! ! )

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