Fire Report July 2017

 

 

TWO ITRON Smart meter fires on the same street in Michigan

By: 24HourNews8    Jun 08, 2018
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — Fire crews are asking people living in Battle Creek’s Washington Heights neighborhood to be vigilant as authorities try to determine what caused a pair of electric meter fires.   The fires happened within a half hour of each other in the 100 block of Oaklawn Avenue.  woodtv.com/news/kalamazoo-and-battle-creek..

 

 

Another power meter catches fire at Regina home

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The charred remains of a power meter after a fire at a home on Pettingell Street in Regina Monday evening. (Adam Hunter/CBC)

 

‘I’m glad it happened today,’ says homeowner just back from holiday

CBC News Posted: Jul 31, 2017 9:45 PM CT Last Updated: Jul 31, 2017 9:45 PM CT

 

Ground shifting due to the dry conditions caused yet another power meter fire in Regina on Monday evening.

This time the meter caught on fire at a home on Pettingell Street in north Regina.

Homeowner Paul Schubert said he was sitting in his backyard on Monday evening, just back this week from holiday, when he heard what sounded like a garage door opener.

“Then when I went and looked, it was the meter caught in flames and burning up one side of the house.”

He got a fire extinguisher from the house to try and fight the flames. He said a neighbour had to call the fire department for them as Schubert’s home had lost power.

Watch Video

This would be about the sixth meter to catch fire in Regina in recent weeks. SaskPower said the fire was caused by the same situation as the others: extreme dry conditions causing ground shift that pulled wires out from behind the power box.

SaskPower has been urging residents to check their power meter boxes to see if they have tilted, and check for significant gaps between the house and the ground.

Schubert said he had heard about the fires while he was away.

“While we were on holidays I’m going ‘I don’t want anything like that to happen while my daughter’s taking care of the house,'” he said.

“And for it to happen today, well, I’m glad it happened today and not while they were here.”

He said SaskPower told them they may have power back tonight.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/power-meter-fire-regina-1.4230044


Smart Meter Fire in Owen Sound

Wednesday, March 23, 2016 6:15 PM by Matthew Sanderson

Fire officials say a number of electrical issues could have caused the small fire.
A smart meter caught on fire at a home in Owen Sound. It happened around 1:30 AM on Wednesday at a home on 6th Avenue West.  A member of the family inside the home was up and noticed the lights flickering. Once the family member noticed the fire on the smart meter, the rest of the family escaped the house unharmed. Owen Sound Fire Prevention Officer Greg Nicol tells Bayshore Broadcasting News a number of electrical issues could have caused the fire inside the meter. Nicol says the home was equipped with working smoke alarms and a carbon monoxide detector. There was very minimal damage done to the side of the brick house. He does say however, that if the house had siding in the area of the meter — it would have caught the house on fire.

https://emrabc.ca/?p=7446


20150814-185109-b

Farnham, Quebec

A smart meter in flames First published August 14, 2015 at 6:51 p.m. A fire in a smart meter could have serious consequences earlier this week Farhnam in the Eastern Townships. According to firefighters, it is almost that the house is on fire.  The fire caused damage to electrical installations. Fortunately, the coating of the building was brick which prevented the flames from spreading. If the house was made of another material, the damage could have been much worse.  Firefighters Farnham had never had to answer a fire like this. “In 34 years, I’ve never had an electrical fire base like that,” says Director of Fire Services, Mario Nareau. A worrying situation when no fewer than 3.4 million smart meters have been installed in the province. Hydro-Québec reaffirms that its facilities are not involved. “In all cases, the fire services have concluded that the fires were linked to the electrical installations in homes, that is to say the bases, because there was damage to these facilities,” says Serge Abergel, spokesman for Hydro Quebec. 20150814-185109-a (Credit: VAT News) The corporation encourages its subscribers to verify the bases every five years. In addition, Hydro advised to consult the website for details. “Hydro-Québec defends itself by saying that it Is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the connection or the base is quality, but there is no one who knows that enough. When they came to change the meter, they should suggest or recommend the owner to verify its base, “adds Nareau. Because of the risk of fire, Ontario decided to withdraw 5,400 meters and Saskatchewan 105 000. However, Hydro says that in his case, different technology. http://tvanouvelles.ca/lcn/infos/regional/sherbrooke/archives/2015/08/20150814-185109.html


 Nevada Smart Meter Fires

“In June of 2015, two black outs occurred in busy Las Vegas Nevada restaurants, believed to be caused by smart meter failures.  Nevada Energy has removed the meters and as of this day the meters have still not been examined, although the claims are in the process of loss evaluation and will be paid by the insurance company.  However, the real issue as to why all the meters are failing is not being dealt with.”  read full story here


Could Smart Meter be Responsible For Close Call at Meaford Residence?

Thursday, 25 June 2015 18:59 By Stephen Vance, Staff News 
smart meter near fire 468 Arural Meaford resident is feeling fortunate after discovering that the wires running to his in-house Smart Meter were heating up, and beginning to smoke. “On the morning of June 24, I became aware of a very strong odour of what seemed to be hot or burning metal in my house. I traced the source to my Smart Meter located inside my house,” recalled Meaford resident David Mason. “I for some reason, put my hand on the box the Smart Meter was plugged into and it was extremely hot!” Mason, his wife and their two dogs were all in the home at the time. He told The Independent that after finding the source of the burning odour, he phoned an electrician, who advised him to call the hydro company who in turn advised him to call an electrician while awaiting a hydro crew to arrive. “They took my info and said they would have a crew respond as soon as possible, but that I should call an electrician as their responsibility ended at the glass in the meter,” Mason told The Independent. Both the electrician and Hydro One arrived at the home quickly, Mason said. When the electricians removed the Smart Meter from the panel box, it was clear that Mason’s home had narrowly escaped a much more serious situation. Mason said that the Smart Meter was in-tact, and undamaged, however the wires leading to the meter were burned. “The Smart Meter itself was not replaced as it in fact was not damaged. The damage was to the wiring in the box the meter plugs into. The box was replaced by Ormsby Electrical who responded very quickly after I contacted them,” Mason told The Independent. smart meter near fire 468 2 Mason contacted The Meaford Fire Department the following day (June 25) to advise them of what had happened, and they attended the residence later that afternoon to begin an investigation, and they advised Mason that the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) will be called in to conduct an investigation. A recent incident in Collingwood, initially blamed on a faulty Smart Meter was later determined to have been the result of other, unknown causes according to the Electrical Safety Authority who investigated that incident along with the Collingwood Fire Department. “It is clear from the pattern of the fire and damage to equipment that the fire originated outside the electrical meter,” the ESA said in a press release earlier this month. In January of this year, the ESA ordered the removal of 5,400 meters in Ontario which were similar in design to the Smart Meters thought responsible for several house fires in Saskatchewan. Last year Saskatchewan replaced every Smart Meter that had been installed in the province – 105,000 of them – at a cost of several million dollars. The meter in C0llingwood was not the same make and model as those ordered removed by the ESA. When asked how safe he feels with a potentially dangerous Smart Meter inside his home, Mason said that the incident has caused he and his wife some anxiety. “As far as feeling safe in my home, I guess my wife and I are now somewhat paranoid about it. Even though it’s a new installation, I have found myself touching the box to see if it is getting hot. As well, my house is wood framed with wood siding, and we are bordered on two sides by forest. My neighbour on the east is surrounded by pine forest as are the next two homes. The potential here for a major disaster is disturbing,” said Mason who added that he is more concerned now about the province selling a controlling interest of Hydro One to a private company. “Given the fact that the present government is going to sell off a good chunk of Hydro One to an unaccountable private entity, I am more concerned than ever about the chances of a major problem arising,” he said. The Meaford Fire Department had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication on Thursday evening (June 25), however we will be following up on this story over the next few days as more information comes available, and the Fire Department has had an opportunity to respond to questions from The Independent.

http://www.themeafordindependent.ca/news/community-news/4676-could-smart-meter-be-responsible-for-close-call-at-meaford-residence


Collingwood Ontario

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Smarten up on smart meters

UPDATE: In a June 10 press release the Electrical Safety Authority stated that the smart meter of Veronica Onyskiw and Jim Pulcine is “definitively ruled out as the source” of the fire which occurred May 31 and added that “It is clear from the pattern of the fire and damage to equipment that the fire originated outside the electrical meter.” —- When you’re lucky, a small unfortunate event can help avoid a bigger disaster in the future. Collingwood resident Veronica Onyskiw’s hydro smart meter going up in a “ball of fire” on May 31 could be one of those cases. Because Onyskiw and her husband’s home is brick, the fire didn’t spread and the gas line didn’t ignite. Next time we might not be so lucky. It’s high time the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) got back with answers and, if necessary, the government should order a complete review of both the safety and supposed cost-saving facets of smart meters. At the time of this writing, there is still no answer. Collus VP of Operations Larry Irwin wrote in a June 9 e-mail to the Enterprise-Bulletinthat the meter appears to have melted from a heat source and added “I’m not an explosive expert, but to me, the meter in question does not appear to have exploded. That said, I’m sure the ESA and the manufacturer will likely give a thorough explanation after they have completed their respective reviews.” Onyskiw said she saw it exploding and a large burn mark was clearly visible on the side of their home the next day, indicative of an explosion and intense fire. Irwin further said “it appears that the heat source was somewhere below the meter and the meter base adapter and was not the meter itself.” First of all, what happened to letting the ESA reach official conclusions before speculating? Secondly, as Onyskiw said previously in comments for our story, the idea that the problem could be related to another facet of the smart meter’s installation is not reassuring. These devices were put in by government mandate and people have every right to know if they are being exposed to potential danger (not to mention unfairly increased hydro rates) because of a supposedly innovative piece of technology. Innovative schemes have been known to eat up money like a well-attended political function eats up food. “I just don’t have enough information to comment on it at this point,” Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said of the smart meter fire June 6 in response to a question from the Enterprise-Bulletin following her remarks at the Ontario Liberal AGM at Blue Mountain. Granted, the ESA must do its own investigation and due diligence, but when you’re required to use a product without a choice, you have every right to know it will not endanger you. Wynne’s deferral of comment characterized the AGM as a whole, which was full of self-congratulatory hyperbole and partial truths, presenting canned narratives on tough choices to mask the political fallout of recent decisions unpopular on Ontario’s left and right. There weren’t a lot of answers on anything. For one thing, a Hydro One sale will likely kill a planned review of the program. In her remarks, Wynne told attendees: “We won’t kick the can down the road.” “Can,” or smart meter?

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Collingwood Ontario

Crisis averted as Ontario smart meter explodes next to gas line

Jim Pulcine (left) and his wife Veronica Onyskiw look at the damage where their hydro smart meter was formerly attached to their home, June 3, 2015. (PAUL BRIAN/Postmedia Network)

COLLINGWOOD, Ont. – Veronica Onyskiw woke up to the sound of her dog growling and a loud noise like a revving engine coming from outside her Collingwod, Ont., home early in the morning last Sunday. She found the source when she went outside — her hydro smart meter had become a “ball of fire.” “The meter is about three feet from the main gas line into the house,” she said outside her home Wednesday. “If that wall had gone and then the car parked right beside it would’ve been very, very bad.” Thousands of smart meters attached to homes across the province were ordered removed earlier this year after similarities were found between the structure of those meters and a similar model used in Saskatchewan that was implicated in several fires in that province. Onyskiw’s meter was not among those considered a fire threat. Larry Irwin, the vice-president of the local utility — Collus PowerStream — said the company has never used those meters. Onyskiw said she has been told that the way in which the meter was installed on her home might be to blame. If that’s the case, it’s just as much cause for alarm, she said. In her case, firefighters put out the flames, and nobody was injured and there was no structural damage. But a happy ending might not be repeated for the next person. “There are people all over this town with wood structures and they have these so-called smart meters attached to their houses,” she said. “I really think this is a very serious threat … I think it’s something people should know about.” Collus said it is investigating. Smart meters have been the target of criticism since the province ordered them installed on homes across Ontario several years ago. In a December report, the auditor general found the $1.9-billion rollout cost has not led to the expected savings to customers. A Hydro One sale will likely kill a planned review of the program. http://www.torontosun.com/2015/06/03/crisis-averted-as-ont-smart-meter-explodes-next-to-gas-line   RADIO :  Smart Meters are EXPLODING! Homeowner Veronica Onyskiw discusses – Jun 4th 2015 Collingwood and Shelburne Ontario Fires https://soundcloud.com/am640/mcarthursmart-meters-are-exploding-homeowner-veronica-onyskiw-discusses-jun-4th-2015    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSPd3BatctM&feature=youtu.be


Smart Meter Fires in BC – Sharon Noble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K313_K1cvvs Nov 4, 2015   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjk_46-sPJU

May 14, 2015

Sharon Noble, Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters, has been investigating whether ITRON’s smart meters are causing and contributing to fires.  Electrical engineers have identified several design flaws that could lead to fires . For example each meter has a lithium metal battery that explodes when heated or exposed to moisture. Laws have been broken. For example, the meters have not been certified to be safe.  Meters have failed, melted and burned, but BC Hydro and the government continue to deny these incidents have occurred. No agency has the authority to investigate and demand changes because the government has demanded that the BC Utilities Commission and BC Safety Authority stay out of the smart meter program. If this program is so beneficial and the meters are safe, why is the government preventing investigations by the agencies responsible for our safety?


Melted Itron Meters in BC 

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Quebec City firefighters ask Hydro-Québec to leave smart meters alone

Hydro-Québec says smart meters belong to the utility and aren’t the cause of fires CBC News – March 05, 2015: – http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-firefighters-ask-hydro-qu%C3%A9bec-to-leave-smart-meters-alone-1.2983309

Hydro-Québec reimbursed Bob Aubertin for the cost of hiring his own master electrician, who found the utility was charging him for the wrong usage.

Hydro-Québec reimbursed Bob Aubertin for the cost of hiring his own master electrician, who found the utility was charging him for the wrong usage. (CBC)

Quebec City’s fire department says Hydro-Québec has been too quick to remove smart meters from the scenes of fires where faulty wiring may be an issue. The fire department says the meters are sometimes gone before investigators can look at them to find out whether their wires might have been damaged, which could lead to a short circuit and a fire. “A fire is considered a crime scene and at a crime scene evidence should be left alone,” said France Voiselle, a department spokeswoman. But Patrice Lavoie, a spokesman for Hydro-Québec, said the meters belong to the public utility and the meters don’t cause fires. “We are totally entitled to bring them back to our office,” he said. “But in that case has it been too quick? That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” The more likely culprit is the box that holds the smart meter, if it’s not properly installed, Lavoie said. He said Hydro-Québec doesn’t install the boxes and aren’t its responsibility. “That belongs to the client that doesn’t belong to Hydro Quebec,” he said. “It’s your own electrician.” Lavoie said a professional association of electricians in Quebec has sent a letter to all their members reminding them to check up on their clients’ boxes. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-city-firefighters-ask-hydro-qu%C3%A9bec-to-leave-smart-meters-alone-1.2983309

Family blames Smart Meter for Fire that killed 74-year-old

DALLAS — Monica Hernandez, WFAA  1:40 p.m. CST   February 3, 2015  A family believes an Oncor electrical meter sparked a fire that killed a man in South Dallas Tuesday night. Now, investigators are working with Oncor to see whether that’s the cause. The fire happened in the 4000 block of Spring Avenue around 10:30 Tuesday night. The next morning, family members still trying to process their loss looked over the charred remains of James Humphrey, Jr.’s home. Relatives who live next door tried to rescue him, but the flames pouring out of his bedroom window were so heavy, no one could get in. Firefighters found him dead on his bedroom floor. “He had lived his life, and he had a good life, but he just didn’t deserve to lose his life like this,” said Alfreda Johnson, Humphrey’s cousin and caregiver. Johnson, who lives next door, went to check on Humphrey just before the fire broke out — never expecting it would be the last time she’d see him. She says Humphrey’s arthritis probably made it difficult for him to escape, but believes none of this would have happened if Oncor hadn’t installed a new smart meter on the home three weeks ago. She believes the home’s wiring is too old for the new meter, claiming that’s also the reason a fire broke out at her home next door three years ago. “When are they going to own up and take responsibility for these old houses? They’re putting these smart meters out here and these old houses cannot carry the weight of those smart meters with the wiring,” said Johnson. Firefighters are still investigating the cause, which won’t be released until the Medical Examiner’s Office releases a cause of death. Damage has been estimated at $7,000 in structural loss and $2,000 in contents. The Public Utilities Commission says it has not received safety complaints about smart meters before, but smart meter installations were blamed for two house fires in Arlington back in 2010. The issue wasn’t with the meters themselves, but a fire investigator there says that when the old meters were pulled out, the main electric feeds to the houses were accidentally pulled as well. In a statement, Oncor said: “Our thoughts are with the family in this difficult time. We are working closely with the Dallas Fire Department to understand the cause of the fire. While we understand the concerns regarding the meter, it is important to note that due to the nature and function of the advanced meters, there has been no prior instance where such a meter has caused a fire in a dwelling. Nevertheless, we look forward to completing a full investigation.” A spokesman added that the new digital meters don’t use any more electricity than traditional meters. Oncor will allow customers to opt out of the smart meters, for a price. According to a company spokesperson, depending on the customer’s individual set up, there is a one-time fee to swap to a “regular” meter, then a monthly opt-out fee. For residential customers, the one-time swap fee ranges from $169 to $211. For commercial customers, it ranges from $244 to $564. Then, the monthly reoccurring fee ranges from $26.69 to $31.38, and includes a small charge for a smart meter — even though the customer no longer has one. http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/local/dallas-county/2015/02/03/74-year-old-killed-house-fire-dallas/22786269/


ONTARIO : Thousands of smart meters to be removed over safety worries

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SaskPower Removing Smart Meters

http://globalnews.ca/video/1483691/saskpower-removing-smart-meters

http://globalnews.ca/news/1483134/saskpower-ordered-to-remove-all-smart-meters-in-the-province/ Wed, Jul 30 – A major development for the troublesome SaskPower smart meters. The government is ordering the crown utility to remove each of the 105 thousand units already installed in the province. It comes after eight reported fires linked to smart meters. Mike McKinnon explains how much this is going to cost.

Related Stories :

December 19, 2014 – SaskPower and Sensus hit again as 10th unit overheats

December 18, 2014 – Another smart meter fails by Clare Clancy

December 18, 2014 – Smart meter overheats and melts

November 7, 2014 – Smart meter catches fire in Regina, 9th failure so far

October 28,2014 – Saskatchewan NDP criticizes government’s smart-meter deal to recoup costs

October 28, 2014 – Watson out at SaskPower after critical smart meter report

September 9, 2014 – SaskPower says smart meter company will pay back $24 Million in cash

August 16, 2014 – Sask. revoked exemption for smart meter contractor over supervision issue

August 11, 2014 – Utilities in Philadelphia and Oregon also decided to remove the Sensus meters after fires

August 11, 2014 – 10th Smart Meter Fire hits Saskatchewan

August 8, 2014 – Ontario towns using Sensus Meters are concerned after Sask Fires

August 7, 2014 – Saskatchewan Timeline on replacements

July 31, 2014 – Medicine Hat Alberta follows Saskatchewan, pauses smart meter program

July 30, 2014 – “Grid One Solutions” installed SaskPower Smart Meters

July 26, 2014 – SaskPower Meter Explodes

July  26, 2014 – SaskPower Identifies 2 more smart meter fires (CBC)

July 15, 2014 – SaskPower halting smart meter installations after several fires (GlobalNews)

May 15, 2014 – Basement Fire linked to installation of Smart Meter

Saskatchewan Smart Meter Fire Review – Official Report (PDF)SASK_FIRE

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sooke

Fire in Langford, BC

firefighter : ” when we arrived the hydro meter was on fire ” August 27, 2014   –  CHECK TV

http://www.cheknews.ca/fire-sooke-lake-road/

http://www.cheknews.ca/fire-sooke-lake-road-10519/

LANGFORD_BC-Hydro-smart-meter-fire

http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/BC-Hydro-smart-meter-fire.jpg

BC-Hydro-fire-Sooke-rd

http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/BC-Hydro-fire-Sooke-rd.jpg

 


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Burned meter, Revelstoke, May 25, 2014

 


City on the hook if smart meter starts fire: IBA

BY GILLIAN SLADE ON JULY 30, 2014. http://medicinehatnews.com/news/local-news/2014/07/30/city-on-the-hook-if-smart-meter-starts-fire-iba/ Wilbur McLean, communications for the Utility department, holds one of the Sensus smart meters being installed in Medicine Hat.–NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE    [email protected]    @MHNGillianSlade The City could be held responsible if a smart meter results in a fire, and should therefore be diligent about the associated risks, says the Insurance Brokers Association of Alberta. “The City has to take a hard, hard look at this. They now know that there are problems and if they continue to install them they are increasing their liability,” said Gord Cowan, president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Alberta. “If there is a meter installed that does fail, and the house burns down, the City’s insurers are going to have to pay for that. I would venture to say the City’s insurers are taking a pretty hard look at this.” Saskatchewan halted installation of its Sensus smart meters after eight devices malfunctioned, causing the meters to melt or catch fire. Coun. Bill Cocks, who chairs the energy committee, is not concerned about liability based on the information he’s been given to date. “Not based on what I have been told to date,” said Cocks. “I’m assured by my department, the people that I rely on, that our equipment is state-of-the-art and that we haven’t had these problems. As I understand it they have to be properly installed and we have not had any such issues here. It is something I think we need to be aware of but we have had no problems here at all.” In Medicine Hat, 29,000 meters have already been installed, and the project is almost complete. A total of 15 smart meters have had to be replaced so far, said Wilbur McLean communications for the energy division. Medicine Hat’s Utility decided on Monday to contact SaskPower to clarify the situation and determine if its Sensus meters also have an alarm that triggers if the device reaches a temperature of 80 degrees, said McLean. Whether that contact has already been made was not clear Tuesday. The temperature alarm is one of three possible triggers, that would alert someone to a potential problem, said McLean. The News asked Sensus for information about the alarm component in the device and whether this would alert the homeowner if there was an issue. The News was referred to McLean for details. SaskPower is offering to change smart meters for the original meters for any of its customers that request this. “We (in Medicine Hat) are not offering that at this point,” said McLean. There are four prongs on the reverse side of a smart meter. Those prongs go into jaws of sockets located on the existing meter base, which is generally located on the side of a house, said McLean. Disturbing those jaws in the process of removing an old meter has the potential to cause the sockets and prongs to overheat. There is the potential for this to occur even if an old style meter is installed, McLean said. “We’ve been led to believe there is no reason for concern,” said Coun. Julie Friesen, vice-chair of the energy committee. “If there continues to be evidence of problems we need to do our due diligence and re-examine this.” Philadelphia suspended its $650-million smart meter installation program in August 2012. It ultimately replaced the Sensus meters with ones manufactured by a Swiss company, Landis & Gyr AG. Portland experienced three smart meter fires and will refit 70,000 installed residential meters. It’s rollout of Sensus meters began in 2008.

‘Unusual’ number of fires, smart meters linked

Ontario Fire Marshal says faulty base plates could be the cause, similar to Mission blaze

By SCOTT SIMPSON, Vancouver Sun
meltedmeter

FULL STORY : http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Unusual+number+fires+smart+meters+linked/7040191/story.html#ixzz22m347gF2 “A lot of times, when you pull something apart, if it’s been there for 30 years it’s probably going to be rusted in or hard in. So they have to give it a little bit of a jerk or a twist. That jerk or twist may be what sets the whole thing in motion,” Strain said Friday. If there’s a problem, he added, it’s possible that a contractor without formal electrical training may miss it. PDF AVAILABLE HERE


coquitlamfirectv

2 home fires probed where new smart meters were set up

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/2-home-fires-probed-where-new-smart-meters-were-set-up-1.905587 CTV British Columbia Published Monday, Aug. 6, 2012 4:04PM PDT BC Hydro says it’s not yet clear what caused a fire at a Coquitlam home where a smart meter had been installed one month earlier. The cause of the blaze that broke out early Sunday morning at the house on Darwin Avenue is under investigation. BC Hydro says smart meters are safe and that inspections are carried out before the devices are set up. “In the vast majority of cases we actually find problems when we actually pull the old meter off. It’s extremely rare that there is any kind of incident after a meter is installed,” BC Hydro spokesperson Cindy Verschoor said. The Crown corporation also says it has repaired about 1,000 meter bases around the province. In June, a fire also began at a home in Mission where a smart meter had recently been installed. BC Hydro says the BC Safety Authority is investigating that blaze.


BC Hydro doubts smart meter to blame for Coquitlam fire

COQUITLAM  /  CKNW (AM980) CKNW News Staff 8/5/2012 http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1751148 Could a newly installed BC Hydro smart meter be partially to blame for an early morning fire in Coquitlam? Hydro crews don’t believe so, but they are investigating after a small fire broke out on the outside of a home on Darwin Avenue. Spokesman Greg Alexis says it appears the cause was likely a faulty meter base. “The meter base is the piece of the customer’s equipment that we plug the smart meter into. The smart meter is the end of our grid and the meter base is the piece of customer equipment.” Alexis says damaged sockets are blamed for a series of recent electrical fires, but stresses the smart meter itself isn’t the problem.


Sparwood fire fighters respond to the Sparwood post office

sparwoodfire

Published: August 01, 2012 1:00 PM

Sparwood fire department responded this afternoon to a call from Sparwood Post Office, where workers were concerned about seeing smoke rising from a recently installed smart meter.’ FULL STORY


Smart meter swap a flop in Alberni

alberniAug2

A Corix technician inspects a damaged electrical meter base on Margaret Street on Tuesday afternoon after an attempted smart meter swap-out went wrong. By Wawmeesh G. Hamilton – Alberni Valley News Published: July 31, 2012 9:00 PM A technician changing out a BC Hydro meter for a smart meter sparked a minor incident at a Port Alberni  business on July 31. The Port Alberni Fire Department responded to an incident at the 4600 block of Margaret Street at approximately 4:30 p.m. Witnesses reported seeing a technician wearing blue overalls working on a meter beside a business when they heard a loud “Bzaap” sound and saw sparks coming from near the top of a power pole across the street, and smoke rising along one end of the power line. FULL STORY


fire_ownerpaysFull Story

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Mission BC house fire, Brand New Smart Meter suspected cause fire_mission_june2012x

CTV Video Coverage  http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120616/bc_mission_fire_120616

They had a new smart meter installed a day ago, so that’s the only thing that changed. So they are suspicious of that”

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Mission house fire started around meter – Read Full Article


Port Hardy – JULY 12, 2012 – Residents and retail shops that share the same electrical room are concerned after a smart meter had an internal fire or short in Port Hardy. The meter was about a year old and no longer was working correctly. Meter blew the compressor in the Store Cooler. Full Story “Opps there goes another Smart Meter”


Nanaimo home has Fire after new Smart Meter is installed fire_nanaimo_bc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NO6wlx8UFc www.stopsmartmetersbc.ca/html/?p=2304     firemeter2

Cumberland – August 2013

www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/219629111.html

 

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Vernon, BC

September 6 2013 9:01pm

Smart meter sparks fire?

Did an electricity smart meter start a fire that destroyed two Vernon homes? The device is being laboratory tested to try to find out. Robert Buffam reports.

http://globalnews.ca/video/825052/smart-meter-sparks-fire/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whlefbjP-AE


Pickering Ontario smart meter explodes. Worse, couple may have to pay for replacement BY  ,TORONTO  

SUN  OCT 4, 2011

Hydro says owner must pay $3000 repair bill “because there was nothing wrong with this meter” www.torontosun.com/2011/10/04/pickering-smart-meter-explodes





fire_dec62011http://stopsmartmeters.org/fire-at-160-santa-rosa-sf-due-to-smart-meter-installation/


fire_california_SEPT2011USA – Power surge raises questions about SmartMeters East Palo Alto electricity surge burnt out digital meters 80 PG&E SmartMeters caught on fire and burned out after a power surge on Aug. 25 http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=22378


USAmeterfire Usa  – Meter causes fire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtcw4hgvgU8


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah3nNo89-NU Youtube.com/watch?v=Ah3nNo89-NU


USA : Houston Texas Smart Meter Fires


USA: Missisippi –  Cutting costs at expense of safety


fire_califorina_drycleaner USA : California – Man says Smart Meter caught fire and shut down his business VIDEOwww.kget.com


USA : East Palo Alto California – Power Surge Destroys Palo Alto Smart Meters | Heartlander Magazine Power Surge Destroys ‘Significant’ Number of Smart Meters,” Bonnie Eslinger, Palo Alto Daily News, August 27, 2011: http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_18769012


Smart Meter Almost Burns Fire Captain’s House http://www.bansmartmeters.com/blog/2011/07/smart-meter-almost-burns-fire-captains-house/


Australia : Angry owners blame smart meters as costly gadgets blow by Karen Collier Herald Sun – June 04, 2011: www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/homes-in-a-fix-after-getting-smart-meters/story-fn7x8me2-1226069016155 HOUSEHOLD appliances are breaking down just hours or days after smart meters are installed.


Australia : MFB probes smart-meter safety | Metropolitan Fire Brigade

www.theage.com.au/victoria/mfb-probes-smartmeter-fire-risk-20111107-1n2po.html


Australia ; Fire investigators probe link between smart meters and house fires

www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/fire-investigators-probe-link-between-smart-meters-and-house-fires/story-fn7x8me2-1226187300199


Explosion in Naples during smart meter installation

by Andre Senior – WFTX-TV Fox 4 – December 15, 2011: www.fox4now.com/news/135706693.html by Andre Senior     December 15, 2011 NAPLES,  Florida An electrical explosion in Naples during the installation of a smart meter raises questions about the safety of the devices. On Thursday morning, an FPL contractor was putting one of the devices in at the Naples Bay Resort when the incident happened. “There was a severe arching and it ignited some combustible material in the room,” said Larry Bacci, a City of Naples fire marshal. The contractor suffered second and third degree burns during the blast and nearly 30 people were forced to evacuate. Debris inside an electrical room where it happened caused a fire, but was quickly put out by the indoor sprinkler system. City of Naples fire investigators are still looking into what caused the electrical explosion, and so is FPL. “The incident is still under investigation but we have established that it was definitely not caused by a smart meter.” But there are others across the country who would disagree. Across the country, there have been protests by people claiming the devices cause explosions and videos popping up online supposedly show smart meters going up in flames. In addition, you’ll find many websites devoted to claims that smart meters are not safe. FPL says smart meters are safe in every possible way. As for the fire at Naples Bay resort, a company spokesperson says that this is the first time they are aware of a fire breaking out during the process of installing a smart meter.


FPL worker burned, Naples Resort without power

by Eric Maze     December 15, 2011 http://www.fox4now.com/news/135664073.html NAPLES, Fla. – A subcontractor hired by Florida Power and Light suffered severe burns after a mishap at a Naples resort Thursday morning that left the hotel without power. The State Fire Marshal’s Office says the worker was switching out an electrical meter inside the Naples Bay Resort on 5th Avenue South sometime before 9 a.m. when a small explosion ignited a small fire that left the worker with at 2nd and 3rd degree burns.  He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.


Smart Meter Blamed for Causing Fire and Killing Dogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs8f1bPowec


 

Exploding smart meters are endangering householders and workers: claim

by Karen Collier and Aleks Devic – Herald Sun – February 23, 2012 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/exploding-smart-meters-are-endangering-householders-and-workers-claim/story-fn7x8me2-1226278664780 ENERGY Safe Victoria is investigating claims that exploding smart meters are endangering householders and workers. The watchdog says companies should review testing procedures after power surges amid revelations of seven recent malfunctions in Pascoe Vale. Another smart meter was damaged in Noble Park in November. Details emerged today when a whistleblower claimed there were serious safety concerns about meters blowing up, sparking calls for a rollout suspension. Distributor Jemena’s managing director Paul Adams denied the claims, saying meters had failed and ‘flashed’ due to a high voltage injection, but did not explode. ESV director Paul Fearon said all types of meters were potentially vulnerable to damage during power surges. Pascoe Vale grandmother Brenda, 91, was standing inside her front door watching a worker reconnecting power on Tuesday when suddenly she heard a loud “bang and boom”. “I thought ‘Oh my goodness’, he had his head blown off. “I could see he got a bit of a shock – I was just happy that I was on the other side of the door.” Mr Adams said six meters failed in early January due to what was thought to be lightning strikes hitting overhead lines. “There can be a loud noise when this happens and black marks emitted, but this is not an explosion,” Mr Adams said. The company is investigating this week’s incident. The ESV will examine whether smart meters are more susceptible to damage from power surges than other meters. Mr Fearon said there was no concrete evidence to date, and noted that switchboard fires had decreased since the rollout. Mr Adams insisted there was no risk of house fires or injury, and that meters were usually replaced before reconnecting power following high voltage injections. But Electrical Trades Union state secretary Dean Mighell said safety doubts were being swept under the carpet. It was harder for workers to tell if digital meters were faulty after surges compared with older mechanical models, he said. Another Pascoe Vale resident, Leanne Moss, attached a sign to her meter box to say she did not want one installed. “When we had those storms on Christmas Day everyone in the street that had the smart meters lost power while the others didn’t,” she said.


Jemena says no smart meter blasts in its patch

by Cathy Nilbett – Moreland Leader – February 22, 2012: – http://moreland-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/jemena-says-no-smart-meter-blasts-in-its-patch/


Smart meter blasts covered up

by 3AW Radio – February 22, 2012: – http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/breaking-news-blog/smart-meter-blasts-covered-up/20120222-1tmqr.html The hotel did not sustain any serious damage but it was left without power.  About 30 people evacuated at the time of the incident. No word yet on what caused the fire.


New Smart meter Explodes

Posted July 2012 on the EMF Safety Network website: Our new smart meter exploded yesterday causing half our circuits to stop working. The men from the electric company asked if I had any work done recently and I told them the electric company had upgraded the meter. He rolled his eyes at me and said, “yeah, some people CALL it an upgrade” and preceded to tell me of other smart meters catching fire. He said we were extremely lucky our house did not go up in flames. Now, I’m going to be a hesitant activist in order to get the word out that these smart meters are DANGEROUS! I don’t feel I have to put my family’s lives in danger in order to make my electric company’s job easier. There is NO opt-out program where I live and DTE told one woman who wanted to opt out that they would just shut her electricity off. Time to put the gloves on…


Message for Fire Fighters and Insurers (PDF)


PECO lies about fire problems and fast-tracks

Smart Meter installations in Pennsylvania

Posted on August 9, 2014by 
http://smartmeterharm.org/2014/08/09/peco-lies-about-fire-problems-and-fast-tracks-smart-meter-installations-in-pennsylvania/
PECO says they’ve had no more problems with Smart Meter fires since they switched over to Landis & Gyr Smart Meters, according to a Canadian newspaper account That’s simply not true. Two fires were reported by the news media since PECO converted over. The first one happened February 27, 2013 in Tredyffrin Township. Lowden said she was preparing dinner at about 6 p.m. on Feb. 27 when the lights flickered, the appliances buzzed and the meter mounted outside burst into flames. “I just grabbed my kids with no shoes on and got them out of the house,” she said. Assistant Fire Chief Eamon Brazunas said there was sparking and arcing around the Smart Meter and “encouraged homeowners to have an electrician inspect the interior once a Smart-Meter is installed on the exterior.” The latest one happened on February 6, 2014 in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, caused by a Smart Meter that exploded and caught fire.

Fire in Bensalem – thunder hollow apartments – 2/6/2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn0-Xnp6ZOU   If PECO lies about this, what else are they hiding from the public? PECO completed their replacement of Sensus Smart Meters by October 2012. These are Landis & Gyr Smart Meters. Have there been other L & G Smart Meter fires since the change-over? How many PECO customers have experienced burned outlets or wiring, overheating Smart Meters, malfunctioning appliances and electronics, tripped ground fault circuit interrupters that they haven’t reported to the news media or they wouldn’t directly attribute to the meters? Last year, Pennsylvania PUC Chairman Robert Powelson said at a PA/NJ Sustainability Symposium that fears about smart meters are unfounded. Really? That’s not what the data shows. That’s not why utility officials and elected officials in Portland, Oregon and the province of Saskatchewan are removing Smart Meters. Chairman Powelson said he had a Smart Meter installed on his home and “it hasn’t caught fire.” Is that supposed to be reassuring? Late last year, PECO announced they were accelerating Smart Meter installations. Are they doing it to stay ahead of the public opposition? P.S. The Bensalem fire is an illustration of why an opt-out doesn’t work. Your neighbor’s Smart Meter could destroy your home or business and harm your family. http://smartmeterharm.org/2014/08/09/peco-lies-about-fire-problems-and-fast-tracks-smart-meter-installations-in-pennsylvania/

Electric meter blamed for Bensalem apartment fire

Posted: Friday, February 7, 2014 2:30 pm | Updated: 6:24 am, Tue Feb 11, 2014. By Jo Ciavaglia Staff writer

Thursday night’s fire, which displaced 30 residents at Bensalem’s Thunder Hollow apartments, was electrical and began in a utility shed, a fire investigator said. The fire affected 16 units in the Bristol Road complex’s “Y” Building, Bensalem Battalion Chief Robert Sponheimer said. No residents were injured, but a Feasterville firefighter was treated at a local hospital for dizziness and then released. http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/electric-meter-blamed-for-bensalem-apartment-fire/article_93cf65bb-a298-5978-a88e-464c2f4451e1.html

New “Smart Meters” Can Overheat, Cause Fires

PECO to replace new technology because utility says new meters can overheat if hooked up to existing wiring that isn’t up to date By Terry Ruggles and Dan Stamm     Friday, Aug 17, 2012 • Updated at 9:44 AM EDT http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/business/PECO-Smart-Meter-Replace-Fire-166466686.html

PECO’s smart-meter program was put on hold after 15 of the units overheated — two causing fires, according to the power company.

PECO, like many other utilities, put in new meters that allow two-way communication between the customer and power company — think of your home computer telling you it’s time to install an update.

All 15 of the units that overheated were among about 186,000 units installed in Bucks County and parts of Northeast Philadelphia, PECO said.

The Upper Makefield Fire Marshall says a newly-installed smart meter recently put in by PECO caused the fire that made Mike Cappeto’s Upper Makefield home unlivable.

“There was a hole in the side and a hole where the flames went up the side of the house,” Cappeto said.

“PECO came in and took out the old charred box and meter. It was melted and just burned to a cinder.”

An initial investigation of the first six cases investigated showed a problem occurred when the new smart meter was hooked up to a house that preexisting conditions at the home like bad wiring, PECO spokeswoman Cathy Engel Mendendez said.

“We want to understand what’s going on and stop it regardless of the cause,” said Engel Mendendez.

PECO is installing new software into existing smart meters and replacing the bad meters with new meters from a different manufacturer.

“We have stopped installing devices to additional customers,” Engel Mendendez said.

PECO says that within two weeks all that new software will be installed in an attempt to try and pinpoint the problem.

If you have concerns or questions you can contact PECO online or call 1-855-741-9011.

Read more:  http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/business/PECO-Smart-Meter-Replace-Fire-166466686.html#ixzz3AEgv62zS


OREGON : PGE replacing 70,000 electricity meters because of fire risk

By Ted Sickinger| [email protected]  July 24, 2014 at 12:29 PM, updated July 24, 2014 at 7:18 PM Portland General Electric is replacing 70,000 residential “smart” meters that run the risk of catching fire, many of them installed at rental properties in East Multnomah County. PGE says three small meter fires have been reported in its service territory, with minor property damage in one case. It mailed out letters to affected customers this week and aims to have the affected meters replaced by the end of October. The electrical component failures are limited to a subset of smart meters that it installed between 2010 and 2012. The affected model number is the Sensus 2S Gen3 RD, mostly installed in rental units where PGE needed the ability to turn them on and off remotely. Customers can call PGE at 877-835-1435 or check online at pgemeterexchange.com to check if they have one of the affected meters. PGE embarked on a major smart meters installation program in 2008, and the other 785,000 meters installed with residences and businesses don’t have the same issues, it says. Bill Nicholson, PGE’s Senior Vice President of Customer Service, said PGE first became aware of potential problems in 2013 and hired two separate consultants to evaluate the meters. Its initial testing was inconclusive, but it shared its results with the manufacturer, North Carolina-based Sensus, and asked for help. “They are not recalling these,” Nicholson said. “This is our choice. This is our decision based on our assessment and our tests. We believe this risk is small, but it’s totally unacceptable to us.” Nicholson said swapping out all the meters would take three months because PGE and its suppliers don’t have adequate replacements in inventory. Reports of smart meter malfunctions, explosions and fires, meanwhile, have cropped up around the country and the world, including some meters manufactured by Sensus, a leading manufacturer of the technology. SaskPower, a utility in Saskatchewan, Canada, is in the midst of a province-wide smart meter program using Sensus meters. But it suspended that initiative two weeks ago following six fires tied to meters in the last two months. PECO Energy in Philadelphia also replaced all its Sensus smart meters in 2012 after several of them overheated and caught fire, two of them resulting in serious house fires, according to the Philadelphia Inquirier. Sensus was also sued in 2010 in Alabama for false claims by an employee who alleged he was fired after refusing to remain silent about the company’s defective meters. The suit alleged that Sensus and two electric utilities sought federal grant funding despite knowing the meters were faulty. The suit was dismissed after the employee settled the case in 2011, according to Law360. Sensus spokeswoman Linda Palmer did not respond to the Oregonian’s query on whether the company felt the meter in question was safe. In an emailed statement, she said it was working with PGE to understand what led to “the issue” and engaging with them on a solution. “The industry, as a whole, has experienced meter issues for years.” she said. “Given that there are more than 40 million meters deployed to date in North America, the failure rates are very low. “There are approximately 10 million Sensus meters in North America operating safely and reliably. We are evaluating the small number of issues and we remain committed to providing safe products…” Smart meters are touted as a critical technology to modernize the electrical grid, promote distributed generation and help customers use energy more efficiently. Ratepayer advocates in Oregon questioned whether smart meter technology was ready for prime time when PGE first proposed spending $135 million of ratepayers money to replace all its meters in 2008. Those reservations had to do with functionality, not safety, however. PGE had already been down the smart meter path, installing 3,500 earlier in 2001 that it junked in favor of the new models. Besides slashing meter reading costs, PGE said the new meters, with two-way communications, would provide a platform for future programs to better manage electricity demand. Data from the meters does allow customers to get on line and check yesterday’s energy use. But other, more sophisticated demand response programs, with real time date that allows customers to adjust their usage on the fly, have yet to arrive. PGE says it is working with Sensus on the meter replacements and it’s not clear at this point whether ratepayers, as a group, will be asked to cover the capital or installation costs of the replacements. “What we’re focused on right now is the replacement of these meters,” Nicholson said. “The commercial issue with these meters will be an ongoing discussion with Sensus we’re keeping the (Oregon Public Utility Commission) informed of what we’re doing along the way.” — Ted Sickinger http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2014/07/pge_replacing_some_electricity.html   •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec

Steve Sauvé Mercredi 18 mars 2015 08:49:17 HAE http://www.hebdosvalleyfield.ca/2015/03/18/salaberry-de-valleyfield-imitera-t-elle-quebec Statement of a neighbor who claims to have seen a smart meter ignite Monday, March 16 at 43 rue Saint-Louis in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield has revived the debate on the equipment installed by Hydro-Québec. Even if in the present case the cause of the fire was not related to meter, but rather to water infiltration, controversy over social networks is palpable. Moreover, many readers believe that the corporation never publicly will say only that its counters include fire hazards. Cédric Grenier is categorical in his commentary. “Mine has been on fire. I had to pull it out with a hammer. Hydro came to analyze my counter and disappeared, “said Mr. Grenier. Quebec firefighters at war with Hydro-Québec The situation declared by the man would not be a precedent. In Quebec City, a letter was sent to all members of the General Staff of the Fire Protection Service in which the Assistant Director of Strategic and Administrative Affairs calls on the fire to ensure that the employees of Hydro-Québec not leave the premises without first met with an investigator. Michel Ménard, director of the Fire Department Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, confirms that it is not ideal that Hydro-Québec is leaving with the meter before the investigation is completed. However, according to Mr. Ménard this would never have happened in the territory of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield Quebec Hydro act this way. “I have heard that in Quebec, there disharmony. For cons, I can not move me on the record because I do not know all the details, “says Michel Ménard. The Director of Fire Service Salaberry-de-Valleyfield confess that if Hydro-Québec leaves with a counter, it affects dramatically the future investigation. “It is unfortunate if this is real. How to make an inquiry, if we do not have all the information, questions Mr. Ménard. I would also like to know, is that Hydro-Québec superior to other rights to do this? ” Strong reaction of the protest movement On the side of the movement “Refuse counters,” Marie-Michele Fish, spokesman says saddened the lack of transparency of Hydro-Québec in this folder. “Fires have occurred in the Montreal area, Saguenay, Quebec and Ontario. California, where we find the same counter model as that used by HQ at the moment (Landis & Gyr-Focus), many fires have occurred and there has been loss of life. There are currently criminal investigation for collusion and corruption in California and, thanks to this survey, we now discover that the leaders wanted to hide facts to the California population, “growls Mrs. Fish, adding that the disappearance of counters in a fire is common.


Utility Smart Meter Fire Hearing Affects All Maryland Residents

http://talbotspy.org/utility-smart-meter-fire-hearing-the-affects-all-maryland-residents/ August 27, 2012 by  The Maryland Public Service Commission will be holding a hearing in Baltimore on August 28th at 2:00 PM regarding a series of fires caused by newly installed smart meters. Each of the four utilities involved with the smart meter installations is expected to testify. No other parties or private citizens will be allowed to testify. Because of the fire hazard, and the threats these meters pose to our health and privacy, Maryland Smart Meter Awareness (MSMA) is joining with the Anne Arundel County Council for the Environment (AACCE) in calling for a moratorium on all smart meter installations. Citizens of Maryland are urged to contact both the Public Service Commission and their state legislators to request a moratorium. MSMA is joining with AACCE in seeking a moratorium on all smart meter installations in Maryland in the wake of the growing number of smart meter related fires around the country. Four Maryland utilities, BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power & Light, and SMECO, are in various stages of replacing all the current meters with wireless smart meters. Wireless smart meters use a fundamentally different approach in monitoring energy usage than the traditional analog meters. No smart meter design has ever been tested and certified for safety by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or any other similar agency accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). There are two main reasons why the smart meters are causing fires around the country. The first is that the radiation they emit interferes with ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) sockets and similar devices by not letting them trip when there is an electrical problem, thus causing fires. The second problem is that due to design defects, their terminal lugs that plug into the meter box sockets tend to corrode. Due to the thermal resistance created by the corrosion, the electricity begins to arc and these arcs ignite the main insulation wiring causing electrical shorts that start fires. In traditional analog meters this is not an issue because they are manufactured to much higher standards. Traditional analog meters employ higher quality materials, thus have a useful life of fifteen to twenty years. The useful life of the typical smart meter is only three to five years. Just recently PECO, a utility in Pennsylvania, halted its entire smart meter installation program after a series of fires. These meters are essentially the same meters SMECO intends to install in its Maryland service area. While the smart meters Pepco, BGE and Delmarva Power & Light are different, they all share the same defects. MSMA President Jonathan Libber stated “These wireless meters have never been tested by competent independent laboratories to determine if they are safe. We need a moratorium because these smart meters are jeopardizing the health, safety, security and privacy of every man, woman and child living in the Pepco, Delmarva Power and Light, SMECO and BGE service areas.” For more info from Maryland http://marylandsmartmeterawareness.org •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Hydro-Québec

Quebec : Smart meters that take fire?

First published November 6, 2013 at 4:53 fire_que Photo credit: Courtesy     Meters which caught fire Ewan Sauves | QMI Agency Residents of a duplex in the borough of St. Leonard in Montreal had a scare last Saturday when four counters Hydro-Québec would have caught fire, requiring rapid intervention of firefighters. Tenants of 6157 Lavoisier Boulevard were evacuated from the site immediately. Since the incident, they live in a hotel room, paid for in part by the Army Hi. According to the owner of the building in question, Tony Di Minno, Hydro-Québec would have settled in mid-October four new smart meters. fire_que2 (Credit: Courtesy) Before the fire takes, power outages in the area were found on at least two occasions, he said. “When I arrived home on Saturday, I told my wife that smelled burned. We knocked on my door and tenant told me that the fire is taken, ‘he recalls. I came out, I wanted to put baking soda on the fire, but when I opened the door counters, everything started to jump. I called 911. ” Tony Di Minno Hydro-Québec blame in this matter and demand an explanation. “People who come to the facilities are usually students, that are not master electricians, he commented. My house is 35 years old, my boxes were in good condition and it is Hydro-Québec has decided to play it. ” Hydro-Québec has conducted investigation and concluded that the counters are not the cause of the fire. Patrice Lavoie spokesman says as it is “practically impossible” that a meter ignite. “A counter, whether ancient or new generation, can not explode. It may not be the fault of the counter, he said. Our engineers have concluded that a contact between two son in the customer’s electrical system is causing a short circuit, which caused the fire. ” Mr. Lavoie adds that all new meters installed are functional. Several physical and electrical tests are performed before installation. “It is beyond the earth, we send them electric shocks, they are subjected to temperature variations, etc. They are highly tested and comply with the standards, “says the spokesperson for Hydro-Québec. http://tvanouvelles.ca/lcn/infos/national/archives/2013/11/20131106-045307.html 

VIDEO COVERAGE (ENGLISH)

Smart Meters cause stir in St. Leonard Quebec (CTV NEWS) http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/smart-meters-cause-stir-in-st-leonard-1.1531571 Quebec_StLeonard   Fire_StLeonard2 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

You’ll Never Trust A Smart Meter Again After Learning Of This Man’s Death….

Written by: Daniel Jennings Current Events February 12, 2015 A fire that caused the death of an elderly Dallas man is being blamed on a so-called “smart meter,” a new electronic device that is on millions of homes in America and records power usage. James Humphrey Jr. died in a fire on Feb. 3, less than a month after the utility Oncor Electric Delivery installed a new smart meter outside the front bedroom of his home. “They came out and changed that meter three weeks ago, and the house caught on fire from that meter,” Humphrey’s cousin, Alfreda Johnson, told TV station WFAA. Fire investigators told the station that the fire did indeed start near the meter. “Oncor comes out here and they post those meters out there on these old houses,” Johnson said. “These houses are not equipped to carry those smart meters.” WFAA reporter Jason Wheeler said that two unidentified “national electric providers” told him that they had seen smart meters overheat when connected to homes with older electrical wiring.   Smart meters use wireless technology to send data back to the power company. He ‘Didn’t Deserve’ To Die This Way Humphrey, 75, suffered from arthritis and had trouble moving, and Johnson believes he was unable to get out of his house in time. Johnson blames not only this fire but one at her house three years ago on smart meters. “When are they going to own up and take responsibility for these old houses?” Johnson asked. “They’re putting these smart meters out here and these old houses cannot carry the weight of those smart meters with the wiring.” Johnson added, “He had lived his life, and he had a good life, but he just didn’t deserve to lose his life like this.” The Dallas Fire Department is still investigating the fire and has not yet released its findings. Oncor is assisting the fire department with the investigation. Story continues below the video “While we understand the concerns regarding the meter, it is important to note that due to the nature and function of the advanced meters, there has been no prior instance where such a meter has caused a fire in a dwelling,” an Oncor press release to The Dallas Morning News stated. Other Deaths Blamed On Smart Meters It’s not the first time smart meters have been blamed for causing a fatal fire. In September, Reno, Nevada, Fire Chief Michael Hernandez, and Sparks, Nevada, Fire Chief Tom Garrison told reporters that they suspected a smart meter caused a blaze that killed 61-year-old Michelle Sherman. “Based on physical evidence … the Sensus meter cannot be eliminated as the ignition source,” forensic investigator Andrew Thoresen wrote of the fire. “Data tends to suggest the meter may have failed.” The city of Reno hired Thoresen to investigate the fire responsible for Sherman’s death. Hernandez and Garrison, in fact, blamed smart meters installed by NV Energy for a dozen fires in the Reno area. A number of utilities in the US and Canada have removed or replaced smart meters because of potential fire danger, The Reno Gazette Journal reported last year. Six fires in Lakeland, Florida, and three fires in Portland, Oregon, were also blamed on smart meters. An investigation by Nevada’s Public Utilities Commission found that heat sensors in smart meters may be malfunctioning and causing firings, The Gazette Journal reported on Feb. 5. The commission has been investigating smart meters since the fire chiefs made their allegations last year. The commission is investigating at least 77 cases in which smart meters caught fire. NESARA- Restore America – Galactic News Source: http://nesaranews.blogspot.com/2015/02/youll-never-trust-smart-meter-again.html ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••   phillidelphia_2013_Jan   http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Network-PD-comments.pdf   At the Santa Rosa PPH Mr. Patrick Wrigley stated he was a former PG&E meter reader for nine and a half years in the Marin office when he was fired because he was not willing to conceal smart meter problems he witnessed. Mr. Wrigley said, The fact that PG&E knows that they do catch on fire when they are remotely turned back on when a customer who is delinquent in their bill finally pays their bill. These meters catch fire. They know it, and they are covering it up.”32 Another speaker, Ms. Moskow stated, I had terrible electric problems in my house once the smart meter was installed, fire coming out one of the outlets, many outlets not working. Pg, 7   ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Sensus IConA has serious defect and causes Fires

According to Don Baker who worked for Sensus, the meters are not safe and have caused at least two homes to burn down in Alabama (2010) “meters were installed in Alabama and Georgia without ever undergoing performance testing” Plaintif made numerous reports to Sensus management regarding iConA quality and safety issues.  He was completely ignored and eventually fired.

A- Electrical Fast Transient Failures,

B- Flux Contamination and Inaccuracy Issues,

C- Faulty Components,

D- “Hot” Socket Alarm – internal thermometers were registering and reporting temperatures in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Sensus-Qui-Tam-Complaint.pdf  – emfsafetynetwork.org 

Sensus-Qui-Tam-Complaint

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Professionalism/Don_Baker_and_Smart_Meters

 

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Linesmen reported that the utility had “two pallets of Burned up (Itron) meters”.  Pg. 8

“Childers told Reed that the loose connection caused heat, which, in turn, caused an electrical arc, which resulted in “two pallets of burned up meters” in CenterPoint’s meter shop.

Childers also told Reed that when CenterPoint technicians pulled the meters out, the meters were creating arc flashes, which could burn the customers’ wiring and create “hazardous conditions.” (Tr. 267, LL. 16-21; 274, LL. 9-20). These hazardous conditions include potentially causing arc flashes, which could result in anything from minor to third degree burns to technicians who remove the meters ”

stopsmartmetersbc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Reed_Answering_Brief-1.pdf

Reed_Answering_Brief

https://emrabc.ca/?page_id=6719

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Council Members Prepare For Fight Over Smart Meters

Mike Matthews    06/09/2015 05:50 PM MEMPHIS, TN (localmemphis.com) — Memphis City Council members are preparing for a big fight over spending $240 million for smart meters. Memphis Light, Gas, and Water wants to replace all of its old electric meters with the smart meters. Meters that are controversial. $240-million dollars is a lot of money, especially when critics say smart meters are dangerous. Fire is a cruel thing. Burning everything it can find. It has a voracious appetite that can spread quickly. A house burned this past weekend next door where Marilyn Hancock and family live. I was in my bedroom and I heard my next door neighbor screaming. I looked out the window. I saw the blaze coming from the storage house on top of the vehicle. And that’s when I immediately got my family out of the home,” Hancock said. Lester and Lula Miller said their house caught fire after a power surge. Hancock said she did not notice any power surge. Her place caught fire after the Miller’s van with gas in the tank blew up. “A lot of damage inside the house. Water damage inside the house. A lot of my furniture got damaged inside the home from the water. And the weather storm that took place last night,” Hancock said. The Miller’s fire was caused by an electrical problem. They said they have a smart meter. Smart meters have been criticized for possibly causing fires. MLGW said the Millers do not have a smart meter. We could not find a house in the neighborhood with one. But it’s an argument Marilyn Hancock isn’t joining. “We’re doing fine. My family has been very supportive and they’ve been there for us,” Hancock said. Copyright 2015 localmemphis.com Nexstar Broadcasting, All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. http://www.localmemphis.com/story/d/story/council-members-prepare-for-fight-over-smart-meter/31292/4bwkkqD15Ei1it1Zc8qjHA   •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• memphis

Family claims MLGW smart meter was on burned house

Posted: Jun 08, 2015 6:41 PM PDTUpdated: Jun 08, 2015 8:29 PM PDT

By Jason Miles MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) -Members of a Whitehaven family made it out alive when their home went up in flames over the weekend. Now, they suspect a controversial smart meter may have sparked the blaze.”Nine people got out of the house,” said relative Sherry Mackey. “My cousin, her six kids, my aunt and my uncle,” she added. “It’s just by the grace of God,” she said.The house first caught fire before a van in the carport exploded. The fire department determined the cause was electrical in nature, and the family wonders if an electrical meter played a role.”They put a smart meter on the house,” said Mackey.Smart meters are a more efficient way of tracking energy usage and are part of a $240 million MLGW modernization proposal. The devices have sparked controversy, and some believe they can even start fires.  MLGW was adamant there was no smart meter at the house that caught fire.”That’s a lie,” said Mackey. “My uncle works on the house all of the time and he and other family members saw the smart meter on the house,” she added.An MLGW spokesman said technicians seen in the area after the fire were there to secure services and make sure other customers were not affected.  The family claims workers removed the meter from charred debris.”I would hope that Memphis Light, Gas, and Water would take responsibility for it,” said Mackey.MLGW currently uses three types of meters and believes the family may have confused a digital meter for a smart meter. Again, MLGW said there is no record of a smart meter being used at the house.2015 WMC Action News 5http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/29270362/family-claims-mlgw-smart-meter-was-on-burned-house

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Nevada Smart Meter Fire

https://skyvisionsolutions.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/smart-meter-fire-file-photo-nv.jpg

https://smartgridawareness.org/2014/09/14/smart-meter-fires-spread-to-nevada/

smart-meter-fire-file-photo-nv

 

from  https://smartgridawareness.org/2015/06/30/nlrb-documents-smart-meter-fires/

 

 

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Nevada Smart Meter Fire

August 29, 2016

‘Smart’ meter fire situation continues to escalate (KSHB-TV, Kansas City)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOSAFiMruyI 

https://takebackyourpower.net/more-fires-kcmo-smart-meter-fire-sparks-investigation-kshb-tv-kansas-city/

 

 

firepdf

LiarFire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBDgZjR4qHQ

 




 

Other Smart Meter Fire Reports

http://emfsafetynetwork.org/smart-meters/smart-meter-fires-and-explosions/