Interesting Electrical Hazards

Captain Tom Redmond of Cocoa Beach sent in these interesting photos. This is an electrical hazard he wanted to share with everyone. Apparently this was discovered during an Engine Company Fire Inspection of a residential condominium complex. I would like to thank Captain Redmond for sharing these photos and allowing us to share this experience with everyone. I would especially like to commend the alert crew who identified and rectified this crazy situation.  

Apparently the occupant of the condo called the power company had had the electrical service disconnected. This is what a typical removed and covered meter looks like (photo above.) It is very common for the electrical company to come do this while a unit (or building) is unoccupied. It is important to note that even after this occurs, one side of the buss (bars on the inside of the meter) is still hot!

After the electrical company left the scene, the occupant broke into the electrical room and, using a Dremel tool, removed the locking clamp that was placed around the blanked meter slot. 

After the cover is removed two copper bars (look closely) were used to jump across the meter blank. The bars then complete the electrical circuit and in turn, give the occupant FREE POWER! The cover was then placed back over the meter (without the damaged locking clamp)

FREE POWER yes, but one hell of a fire hazard !

Here is a picture of the removed bars. Hopefully after reading the description and seeing these pictures you are asking yourself a few questions. Captain Redmond answered a few of them for me. below is a description of what we discussed...

       Once this was discovered, Captain Redmond requested a representative from the power company and the Police Department, prior to making contact with the occupant of the condo. 

Captain Redmond asked the power company representative a few questions that you should all be curious about.….

How did he get the bars in to the meter without getting electrocuted ?  

The power company representative advised that this is normally done by inserting the jumper into the bottom end of the meter (which he said was not hot) , then pushing the jumper into the top (hot) portion of the meter with a nonconductive item (such as a piece of wood for example). 

Notice the last picture, Do the bars shows evidence of charring and arching ?  

Yes, in fact apparently the occupant miscalculated the exact length of the bar and cut it to long, and in turn while inserting it made contact with the top portion of the meter creating a massive arch.  He fortunately did not sustain any injury from his careless, and tremendously stupid act. 

Did he get busted by the power company for this act ?  

Well unfortunately the power company does not own the meter, they are only responsible from the pole to the weather head.  Once it enters the building it is the responsibility of the building owner.  

But isn’t stealing power in this manner illegal you ask? 

Yes, but there is no actual way to prove that he did it.  When approached by the police he advised that he had no idea of the situation.  We did a little research and found that he had the meter pulled 3 to 4 months prior.  So he had been stealing power in this manner since then, jeopardizing the safety of everyone in that building.

Don't get any ideas, This wasn't posted to help you all get free power, just imagine the amount of bad things this little situation could cause...

...Outside Truck to command....Utilities are secured....

...Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, we have a firefighter down....

Not good boys, not good at all. -Jimm-