[Abstract] Fire officials and soldiers said that the specific cause of the fire remains to be investigated, and preliminary analysis may be due to a short circuit in the circuit or difficulty in heat dissipation inside the external unit during high temperature weather.

 
At the scene of the fire, thick smoke billowed
Wenzhou News: Yesterday, the staff and customers of the Huiqiao Digital Plaza in the urban area were sweating profusely in the stuffy indoor environment. Because the central air conditioning of the digital square went on strike due to a fire on an external unit.
According to statistics, there have been 13 air conditioning fire accidents in Wenzhou since the beginning of this year, with various reasons for the fires.
At present, it is a dog day and the temperature is constantly soaring. Which electrical equipment is prone to catching fire, and how should citizens pay attention to fire prevention and extinguishing?
The external unit of the central air conditioner in the digital square caught fire
Yesterday at around 1:00 noon, the weather was extremely hot. The central air conditioning unit in Building B of Dongfang Huayuan Digital Plaza on Liming West Road in the city suddenly emitted thick smoke, and flames immediately shot up. Fortunately, the surrounding residents discovered and participated in the fire fighting in a timely manner. After the firefighters arrived, they put out the fire and did not cause any casualties.
Yesterday afternoon, the reporter saw on site that the fire broke out on a small platform on the second floor of the underground garage exit on the north side of Building B in Dongfang Huayuan, with a total of four air conditioning units. The air outlet of the second external unit that caught fire has been charred, and the exterior walls from the second to ninth floors of the building have been burned black.
The security guard of Building B in Dongfang Huayuan told reporters that he immediately ran over after hearing the cries of the surrounding people. The fire was not big at the time, but the smoke was very high. He quickly opened the nearby fire hydrant and sprayed water onto the outside unit of the air conditioner to control the fire. In a few minutes, four fire trucks arrived, and the firefighters immediately set up ladders and climbed onto the small platform to extinguish the fire. After about ten minutes, the fire was extinguished.
The owner of a nearby snack bar said that the external unit of the central air conditioner in the digital square has been in use for several years, and it also caught fire two or three years ago.
The firefighters of the Dawn Squadron of the Lucheng Fire Brigade said that the specific cause of the fire remains to be investigated. According to preliminary analysis, it may be due to a short circuit in the circuit or difficulty in heat dissipation inside the external unit during high temperature weather.
13 air conditioning fires have occurred this year
Every summer, there are frequent incidents of air conditioning fires in various regions. According to the statistics of our city's fire brigade, there have been a total of 13 air conditioning fires in the city since the beginning of this year, mainly caused by three major reasons: electrical equipment failures, electrical circuit failures, and careless use of household fire. One of the fires was caused by someone throwing an unextinguished cigarette end into the external unit of the air conditioner.
The person in charge of the municipal fire brigade said that when the air conditioner catches fire due to high temperature, aging, short circuit, poor airflow, and other reasons, please do not panic. First of all, the power supply should be cut off quickly. Never use water or foam extinguishers to extinguish electrical fires without cutting off the power supply, otherwise there is a risk of electric shock. Secondly, corresponding measures should be taken according to different situations, with safety as the top priority. If a large fire is found and you feel unable to control it, you should immediately evacuate to a safe place and call the 119 alarm. In addition, regular comprehensive inspections of air conditioning should be conducted to prevent fires from occurring.
These household appliances are also prone to catching fire
Summer is the peak period of electricity consumption, where many household appliances are used simultaneously and for a long time, especially high-power household appliances, which can easily cause overload of electrical circuits, cause faults such as short circuits, and cause fires. Therefore, special attention should be paid to avoiding the simultaneous use of too many high-power electrical appliances.
According to the statistics of the Municipal Fire Brigade, the following types of household appliances are prone to fire: electric rice cookers, electric stoves, hair dryers, electric heating rods (fast heating), induction cookers, microwaves, air conditioners, electric heaters, and electric blankets.
In addition, mosquito repellent incense is generally used at home in summer, which can easily cause fires when encountering flammable materials such as cotton cloth, paper, and wood. However, electric mosquito coils pose safety hazards due to prolonged electrification and improper use. Meanwhile, mobile phone power banks are prone to explosions under high temperatures, so please be careful not to place them by the bedside.
News link: Do not use water to extinguish electrical appliances before power outage
When a fire occurs on power lines or electrical equipment, which attracts nearby combustibles, the method of powering off and extinguishing the fire should generally be adopted, and the power should be cut off in a timely manner before extinguishing the fire. But it should be noted that water should not be used first to extinguish a fire, as electrical appliances are generally charged. Using water to extinguish a fire may cause electric shock to people, and it may not achieve the purpose of firefighting, resulting in even more severe losses. Only when it is confirmed that the power supply has been cut off can water be used to extinguish the fire. In cases where it is uncertain whether the power supply has been cut off, fire extinguishers such as dry powder, carbon dioxide, and carbon tetrachloride can be used to extinguish the fire.
Television and computers are the most dangerous to catch fire
When electrical appliances catch fire, the more dangerous ones are televisions and computers. If the TV and computer catch fire, even if the power is turned off and unplugged, their fluorescent screens and picture tubes may explode.
To effectively prevent explosions, when a TV or computer emits smoke and catches fire, the following methods should be followed: immediately unplug the main power plug, and then cover them with a damp carpet or quilt. This can effectively prevent the spread of fireworks and once the explosion occurs, it can also block the glass fragments of the fluorescent screen. Be careful not to splash water on televisions and computers or use any fire extinguishers, as a sudden drop in temperature can immediately cause the hot picture tube to explode.
In addition, there is still residual current inside the TV and computer, and splashing water may cause electric shock. When extinguishing a fire, it is not allowed to approach them from the front. To prevent the picture tube from exploding and injuring people, only the TV or computer can be approached from the side or back.
Reminder
How to prevent electrical fires?
(1) Do not purchase counterfeit and shoddy household products with "three no's".
(2) When using household appliances, there should be a complete and reliable power cord plug. Grounding protection should be adopted for household appliances with metal shells.
(3) Switches and fuses cannot be installed on the ground wire and neutral wire. It is prohibited to connect the grounding wire to the water and gas pipelines.
(4) Do not touch live equipment with wet hands or wipe it with a damp cloth. Do not overload electrical equipment.
(5) Do not connect wires without permission, and do not move live equipment casually.