Saturday, July 16, 2011

Lucky escape for firefighters as house explodes

A dramatic video showing a house exploding after thieves targeted an overhead electricity line has been released by the fire service.



West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has taken the unusual step of releasing the CCTV footage to warn people about the dangers of tampering with electricity and gas equipment.

The video shows the moment the house exploded just yards from firefighters and the people they rescued seconds earlier. The explosion was caused by interference with an overhead electricity line by thieves attempting to steal the copper conductor. The footage was captured by cameras attached to fire engines during an incident in Castleford last Friday.


YouTube link.

The blast was caused after a piece of cable was cut from an overhead line. This affected the earthing of the electrical network in the area and resulted in some unusual electrical activity, which affected some of the gas pipes within the properties and led to fires and the explosion. About 30 people were forced to leave their homes on Rhodes Street, Hightown.

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