Do you mean that instead of replacing that receptacle the shop ran a new circuit? Maybe they tapped the new plug off the same circuit ;-)

Why would you want to keep something like that? To me it is a warning sign, to know where the exits are in the building in case anything else decides to burst into flames.

I hope that outlet was originally brown and not burnt so bad that it turned that color

To be honest mikesh, I don't know. They probably ended up using the same cable run if it was still good. The only sources of heat used to keep the place warm are space heaters, which I'm sure operating continuously at least most of time.

Packrat56:
Are you saying that the only heat in a retail store is a 120 volt, plug-in space heat??

You are in Montana, Right? Sounds like a place that gets brutally cold to me.

A store that used portable space heaters for there only heat would get shut down by the Fire Dept here, unless it was an emergency situation, and then only for a very limited time frame.

Actually, now that I think about it HotLine1 they must have furnace system, given the size of the place I don't see how the space heaters can keep up because it does get pretty cold where I live. I've seen days where the highest temperature of the day doesn't even get above 0 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale. So the space heaters just provide additional as needed. I apologize for the misinformation.

Apology is not necessary! No misinformation! I ask a lot of questions, and if my wording seemed strong....it was not meant that way.

Slater doesn't get a lot of good press around here

Burnt Receptacle

Seeing the blown off prong stuck in the outlet still almost makes me think something metal fell in between the outlet and the (former) plug and OCPD didn't trip quite instantly... The faceplate looks to have gotten very hot at the top yoke area also..

A couple of red flags pop up here. I would certainly check to be sure that this rect. is permanently rendered dead, or else replaced with something of better quality once its wiring is inspected and/or replaced as well. Just the sight of something like that gives me the creeps. I know they need to keep the place warm, but the idea of leaving operating space heaters in a store after hours is an invitation to the fire department.

Randy has a good eye. The burn pattern on the top of that plate certainly suggests something that may have fallen across the heater connector.

Mike (Mamills)

I found this gem at my former place of work. (A Computer Fixing place can't say name)
the receptacle was still in use until I told the maintenance team about the hazard they did not think it was a problem

Oh the bottom right was feeding a 14A air compressor/tank (Used to blow the dust out of computers)

Good eye Randy, I noticed that there was something in that slot to but I never thought of what you mentioned being a possible cause/factor, thanks for the idea. I did suspect a short circuit when I first saw the soot and burn marks that would result from an arc flash.

Wow ComputerWizKid that's some picture, a 14 amp draw on one outlet plus the total amperage draw of everything else that was plugged in and turned on, gee no wonder it fried. Thanks for the post. By the way, if you have any more pictures like this one please send them.