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Post by manonthemoon2 on Jan 16, 2022 0:04:20 GMT 1
This morning, around 9am I noticed black smoke from our neighbours house/garden which I thought was odd. My OH said they were having a bonfire. When he went upto the top of our garden he noticed flames in the house. He came back to tell me to phone the pompiers because it was a fire.
After his earlier comment I thought he was joking, but he said no, really call the pompiers.
I grabbed my phone and proceeded to call as I walked up in the garden. I saw another neighbour on the phone, and was told he had called the pompiers.
As I watched flames engulf their house, it brought back memories of 2010 when our house caught fire, it took 45 minutes for the pompiers to arrive, by which time we had lost everything, including one of our 3 cats.
I stood crying as I heard our neighbours wife was hysterical today when she arrived back, and then her husband arrived as he had been at work. They had lots of family and friends arrive, so they were well supported.
They were lucky, no one died and a lot of their house and belongings are salvageable (it seems, as later we saw them carry items away).
We lost everything except the clothes we stood in, and one of our cats. Sentimental photos, jewellery and children's toys).
It's devastating however it happens, and I feel it is very odd that two houses in our commune have burnt next door to each other, but with 12 years apart.
A horrible and disturbing reminder for me today.
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suein56
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Southern Morbihan 56 Brittany
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Post by suein56 on Jan 16, 2022 0:09:43 GMT 1
It must have been an emotionally devastating experience those 12 years ago. Fire is so savage and destructive.
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Veem
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Post by Veem on Jan 16, 2022 9:30:58 GMT 1
How dreadful for your neighbours and terrible for you to be so sharply reminded of your similar experience. We watched a wildfire on TV the other day and commented on how powerful and frightening the flames were.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2022 9:41:54 GMT 1
It does not take much to lose a house to fire. Whether it's electrical or a chimney fire. There are always houses for sale where the insurance company did not pay out.
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Post by gigi on Jan 16, 2022 9:49:17 GMT 1
You must have been really shaken up by it, bringing back horrible memories of your dreadful experience. Your neighbours were extremely lucky to have avoided losing everything, but, as you say, very odd that neighbours so close to one another should have had such huge fires at their homes.
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JohnnyD
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Mayenne (53) When Covid allows..........Which isn't very often these days........
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Post by JohnnyD on Jan 16, 2022 9:54:14 GMT 1
Sounds awful in both cases manonthemoon2, our neighbours but one house caught fire 2 years ago 3 days after they had moved in, fire in the loft that wrecked the roof, could have been a lot worse, but it still took over a year to repair so they could move in again, fire is devastatingly destructive, what was the cause of both ?
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Post by manonthemoon2 on Jan 16, 2022 10:11:07 GMT 1
Sounds awful in both cases manonthemoon2, our neighbours but one house caught fire 2 years ago 3 days after they had moved in, fire in the loft that wrecked the roof, could have been a lot worse, but it still took over a year to repair so they could move in again, fire is devastatingly destructive, what was the cause of both ? Our fire was the result of a chimney. Their fire, as yet I don't know but assume it was electrical as they didn't have a chimney. They had the same aerothermie heat pump with underfloor heating that we have. If that was the cause it will make me worried 😟
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Post by Polarengineer on Jan 16, 2022 10:54:55 GMT 1
More than likely an electrical fault. Not everyone realizes that a heat pump draws a lot of Amperes and when a heat pump is installed it needs to have the supply cables upgraded or checked over for loose connections.
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suein56
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Southern Morbihan 56 Brittany
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Post by suein56 on Jan 16, 2022 11:07:13 GMT 1
I was told some time ago (forget by whom) that a fair few property fires start with (re)chargers or their associated cables. Cheap chargers can often be poorly made and dangerous to use, especially if left on for long periods, as they can overheat and ignite.
Edit : Though I seem to remember smthg about an iPhone/ iPad overheating problem with a charger/cable some years ago .. if correctly remembered then it can happen with even expensive products.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2022 13:01:05 GMT 1
Scary and a reminder for all of us not to be complacent.
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Post by plog on Jan 16, 2022 13:24:26 GMT 1
I was told some time ago (forget by whom) that a fair few property fires start with (re)chargers or their associated cables. Cheap chargers can often be poorly made and dangerous to use, especially if left on for long periods, as they can overheat and ignite. Edit : Though I seem to remember smthg about an iPhone/ iPad overheating problem with a charger/cable some years ago .. if correctly remembered then it can happen with even expensive products. It can indeed….it’s worth having a look at this Uk Fire Brigade advice
You need to be especially wary of damaged cables, damaged chargers or damaged batteries.
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Post by cleoj on Jan 16, 2022 15:55:27 GMT 1
Not what you needed to wake up to this morning, a nasty reminder and shock. Your neighbours are indeed lucky, to have neighbours that were around to make the shout so there were still belongings that could be retrieved.
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Aardvark
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Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
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Post by Aardvark on Jan 16, 2022 19:48:37 GMT 1
I was told some time ago (forget by whom) that a fair few property fires start with (re)chargers or their associated cables. Cheap chargers can often be poorly made and dangerous to use, especially if left on for long periods, as they can overheat and ignite. Edit : Though I seem to remember smthg about an iPhone/ iPad overheating problem with a charger/cable some years ago .. if correctly remembered then it can happen with even expensive products. So let's just try something. Everyone reading this has a look at anything they have on a charger at the moment. Touch the little black box and see how hot it is. Would you be happy placing this near something easily ignited and leaving it to its own devices until the morning? "Do you feel lucky?" (Clint Eastwood)
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Post by manonthemoon2 on Jan 20, 2022 10:09:28 GMT 1
UPDATE : the neighbours fire started in their utility room and an inspector has to ascertain what started to burn it could be faulty electrics, the linky meter or their underfloor heating controller.
He mentioned to me that they might have to go to a tribunal if it is found faulty electrics, or have a case against Enedis/EDF if it was the linky. Their house was less than 10 years old.
They're being advised by an insurance expert, in fact the same one we had work for us after our fire. It could be 2 years before they have rebuilt the house, everything has to be demolished. He told me that with underfloor heating in the case of a house fire, the pipes under the floor may have exploded with the heat of the fire.
The commune is pulling together with donations of clothes, toys etc.
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Aardvark
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Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
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Post by Aardvark on Jan 20, 2022 12:19:18 GMT 1
A house near where I used to live suffered a fire. Only four walls left. It remained in that state for years. I eventually learned that it had been owned by British expats. The insurance company refused the claim because it was found to be wired to UK spec. with UK materials, etc. It eventually was eventually sold as a building plot.
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