Overheating pedestal fan sparks $100,000 blaze
Authorities have warned people to maintain their cooling equipment after a fire sparked by an overheating pedestal fan caused $100,000 damage to an Adelaide home.
The couple living in the Croydon Park home had a nasty wake up calls at 6am when the old pedestal fan overheated.
“It just stopped, there was no fire, but I still pulled it out of the plug, then it caught fire,” residents Phyllis de la Croix told 7News.
The couple tried to smother the flames with a blanket but had to flee with their dog Poppy.
Within minutes, the flames had gutted their bedroom.
“They’re very lucky, if they had slept through this it could have been a lot worse,” fire cause investigator Rod Kersten said.
He said pedestal fans are not designed to be run all night.
“Maintain your cooling equipment, have it checked,” he said.
“If you’re not sure, replace it if it’s starting to get old. These small incidents like this motor can cause a lot of damage.”
Meanwhile, the Golden Grove Scout Group’s hall has been gutted after an electrical fault in a fridge sparked a blaze.
Damage has been estimated at $80,000.
