nfec seminar - overview of electrical fires in singapore

7/30/2019 NFEC Seminar - Overview of Electrical Fires in Singapore

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NFEC Seminar 2013

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

Major Samuel Koh Chee HianB.Eng (EEE)(Hons), CFEI (NAFI)

Fire Investigation Team Leader|Fire Investigation Unit| Operations Department

Overview of Electrical Fires

in Singapore


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SCOPE

- Electrical Fire Statistics

-Entities involved in Electrical

Fires

-Development of a air-conditioning fan coil unit fire

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE


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Causes of Fires in Singapore in 2012

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

12% are of electricalorigin

Continues to be one

of the top fire causes

in Singapore


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Electrical Fires in Singapore from 2008 to 2012

0

50100

150

200

250300

2008 2009 2010

Year

20

2011

350

400

450500

451434

385

436

550 518

2012

No

.ofElectricalFires

No. of firesOVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE


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Breakdown of Fire Causes

in Industrial Premises 2012

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

17%

1%

16%

56%

10%

Dropped LightOverheating (of Food)

Naked Light

Electric Origin

Others

56% are of electricalorigin

Continues to be one

of the top fire causes

in Industrial

Premises


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FIRE STATISTICS

Fire of Electrical Origin in Industrial

Premises (2009 - 2012)

18.4 %

40

25

50 49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2009 2010 2011 2012

No.ofFire

s

Year

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE


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FIRE STATISTICS

Accidental Fire Causes in

Commercial Premises (2012)

FIRESTATISTICS

CASESTUDIESONRECENTFIRES

45% of these fires

are of electrical

origin

Continues to be the

top fire cause in

commercial premises

14%

12%

24%

5%

45%

Dropped Light

Overheating (of Food)

Naked Light

Others

Electrical Origin


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FIRE STATISTICS

Fire of Electrical Origin in Commercial

Premises (2009 - 2012)

114110

86

148

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

2009 2010 2011 2012

No.ofFire

s

Year

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE


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Breakdown of Electrical Fires 20082012

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

S/N Type of Electrical Fires Total No. of Fires

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

1 Lightings/wirings 171 131 160 120 154

2 Circuit breaker/switches 76 94 89 98 108

3 Vehicle 69 57 77 86 98


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OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

S/N Type of Electrical FiresTotal No. of Fires

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

1 Lightings/wirings 171 131 160 120 154

2 Circuit breaker/switches 76 94 89 98 108

3Vehicle 69 57 77 86 98

4 Fan coil unit 31 31 37 25 39

5 Water heater 12 4 12 12 18

6 Fan 14 12 19 9 15

7 Washing machine 10 6 9 5 9

8 Fridge 10 9 4 5 8

9 Television 7 4 4 2 2

10 Others 34 37 40 74 67


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OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE


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Breakdown of Electrical Fires in Industrial

Premises in 2012

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

37%

10%21%

8%

4%

6%

6%

0%4%

4%

lightings/wiringsvehiclecircuit breaker/switchesFan coil unitfanheaterwashing machine

televisionfridge

37% are fromelectrical wirings and

lightings fixtures

Fires involving

lightings/wirings and

circuit

breakers/switchesmade up of over 50%

of all electrical fires!


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Offence to knowingly engage non LEWsunder the Electricity Act Chap. (89A) Sect

(82)(1)

COMMON FIRE CAUSES

FIRESTATISTICS:ANAN

ALYSISOF

COMMONFIRECA

USES


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Breakdown of Electrical Fires in Commercial

Premises in 2012

OVERVIEWO

FELECTRIC

ALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

33%

15%24%

6%

3%2%

2%

1% 0%14%

lightings/wirings

vehiclecircuit breaker/switchesFan coil unitfanheaterwashing machinetelevision

fridge

33% are fromelectrical wirings

and lightings

fixtures

Continues to be one

of the top electrical

items to be involvedin fires


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ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECT

RICALFIRE

CAUSES

Short Circuits

Bypass the normal loading Low/negligible resistance

=> High current

Overloading causes intense

local heating

May ignite flammable

materials present

ELECTRICAL ORIGIN


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COMMON FIRE CAUSES

SHARINGPOINT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES

Insulation Failure

Deteriorate with age;degraded by heat/chemicals

Exposed wires more prone

to damage and may ignite

nearby combustibles

Excess current protection

devices may not prove

effective

ELECTRICAL ORIGIN


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COMMON FIRE CAUSES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECT

RICALFIRE

CAUSES

Overloading

Current exceeds full loadrated value

Temperatures in conductors

will rise

May ignite the conductors

or nearby combustibles

ELECTRICAL ORIGIN


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COMMON FIRE CAUSES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECT

RICALFIRE

CAUSES

Local Resistances

Arising from corrodedjoints, poor/loose

connections

Heat generated as a result

of high resistance

May ignite combustibles

which are in contact

ELECTRICAL ORIGIN


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COMMON FIRE CAUSES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECT

RICALFIRE

CAUSES

Improper Connections

May lead to short circuits orlocal resistance

Heat generated as a result of

high resistance

May ignite combustibles which

are in contact

ELECTRICAL ORIGIN


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

SHARINGPOINT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

SHARINGPOINT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

SHARINGPOINT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES

C CA S


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES

ELECTRICAL FIRES


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

SHARINGPO

INT

ELECTRICALFIRE

CAUSES

ELECTRICAL FIRES


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

OVERVIEWOFELECTRICALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

Fire can originate from anyelectrical appliance or device

regardless of brand.


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How a Fan Coil Unit fire can occur?

SHARIN

GPOINTFCUFIRE


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SHARIN

GPOINTFCUFIRE


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SHARIN

GPOINTFCUFIRE


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Origin and Cause of Fire

Lines of demarcation

Oxidation

SHARIN

GPOINTFCUFIRE

ELECTRICAL FIRES


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ELECTRICAL FIRES

OVERVIEWOFELECTRICALFIRESIN

SINGAPORE

The dangers are

real.

We should do all we can to

prevent these fires.


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Thank you.

NFEC Fire Seminar 2013

FIREEDUC

ATIONSEMINARSERIES

nfec seminar - overview of electrical fires in singapore

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