;
Energy type: 
Electricity
 
Event summary: 
A fault on an electric water boiler caused a fire which damaged the boiler.
 
Accident ID: 
161027-01
 
Accident date: 
26 October 2016
 
Site: 
Commercial
 
Environment: 
Building
 
Voltage: 
230
 
Equipment: 
Water Storage Heaters
 
Accident type: 
Fire
 
Casualty: 
Non-fatality
 
Injury: 
No injury
 
Property damage level: 
Restricted to the direct vicinity of the equipment
 
Outcome of investigation: 

The boiling water unit involved in the fire was delivered to the manufacturer who inspected and evaluated. It was noted that the unit was manufactured in April 1999 and still had the original circuit board installed.

On inspection it was observed that the PCB board had suffered a thermal event. The possible cause was a dry joint on the low voltage side of the heating relay. This would have caused an excessive current draw and is the most likely cause of this thermal event.