Briselec,
Am I right in believing the electricity entities consider the pole fuse as only a short circuit protection device, NOT an overload protection device. In other words our current installation methods don't include any overload protection device on the consumer mains, such as a main breaker on the switchboard rated to protect the mains.
HRC fuses are used for both Short-Circuit and Overload protection.
The rewirable pole fuses here can really only be counted on to provide Short-Circuit protection, thier performance as an Overload protection.
It's just a good thing that we have been rather lucky that the rewireable fuse elements in the house have de-energised the faulty circuit.
I hate tinned copper wire fusing, although it has been outlawed here, you know the story....
Briselec,
One comment I would like to make with regard to the protection of Consumers Mains, is the fact that no protection can protect upstream from itself.