CABL Forum - House fire started by cable worker

http://pottsmerc.com/articles/2009/06/16/news/srv0000005599811.txt

House fire started by cable worker

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

By Eileen Faust, (-REDACTED-)

NORTH COVENTRY — A homeowner who simply wanted cable hooked up to her kitchen TV ended up displaced from her home Monday morning after a cable serviceman drilled through her electrical box by accident.

As neighbors came up to Jean Tyson, 83, who lives at the corner of Kutz Road and Richards Circle, and offered help, comfort and support, she described what transpired.

"I called Comcast because I wanted the kitchen TV hooked up to cable," she said, describing how the digital TV converter box hadn't worked as planned. "They said no problem, we can do it, no extra charge." Tyson was already a Comcast subscriber before the incident Monday.

"They drilled right into the electrical box," Tyson said in disbelief, looking over at the side of her home where a long black burn mark extended up to the roof from a burnt electrical box and meter.

PECO was on the scene, cutting the electrical lines that ran to the home from a nearby power line to prevent any future fires springing up inside the home; meanwhile, firefighters aired out the basement with large fans placed in the windows, and intermittently pulled down wallboard in the basement that looked burnt.

Chief Jack Schaeffer, of the Norco Fire Department, said the cable service man, who was contracted to perform the work by Comcast, had put a line into the home already before he drilled through the wall. Apparently that hole wasn't enough, and when he tried to drill a second one, he "drilled into the electrical box."

Schaeffer said there was minor burning inside the home when firefighters arrived because the cable serviceman had already put out most of it with a small fire extinguisher Tyson handed him.

Tyson, who was in her house while the cable man worked outside, said she heard "two loud blasts — 'Boom, Boom' — then I came out of the house to see what was going on."

"It was burning like mad," she said, when the serviceman ran up to her and asked if she had a fire extinguisher, which lay spent on Tyson's front lawn as fire crews worked.

Tyson may have been lucky as fire officials found the arcing had sparked a fire in wood behind the electrical box in the basement which spread to the floor joists. But the majority of damage was to the electrical system.

"The house is not liveable until the electric is redone," Schaeffer said. There also was no water for the home since the well pump won't work without electricity, according to officials.

As Tyson worried where she could stay that would also accept her dog, who was tied up outside of the home amid the chaos, a neighbor came by and insisted she stay in her spare bedroom and bring the dog with her.

Fire Marshal Ron Comtois said the damage is "probably about $20,000." He spent a good part of the morning on the phone with Tyson's insurance company trying to get someone who could help her immediately.

"PECO has secured the electric, but she needs to get a private electrician out here to check the wiring," Comtois said.

When contacted Monday, Jeff Alexander, a spokesman with Comcast, said, "Our first priority is the comfort and well-being of our customer and dog. The first thing we did was to offer accommodations while repairs are made to the home.

"We take this matter very seriously," Alexander said. "We are going to review the details of the fire with the contractor and local officials as they investigate." He could not say whether the company would be working with the contractor in the future.

"They told me they would send out their best guys," Tyson said of Comcast, as she stood on her porch in shock.

Responding to the scene were the Norco Fire Company, North Coventry Fire Department, Ridge Fire Company, and Ringing Hill Fire Company, as well as Goodwill Ambulance.

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House fire started by cable worker