[BC] KOMO Fire

[Rich Wood]

------ At 02:10 PM 7/6/2009, Clay Freinwald wrote: -------

>It is my understanding that this all started with a fire in an 
>electrical room down in their underground parking garage where 
>Seattle City Light meets Fisher with about 3,000 Amps.  Apparently, 
>in the process, their transfer switch was also damaged, hence the 
>darkness that continued.

I've always wondered why a building or building codes would allow 
such an installation in an occupied building. I've seen enough 
underground steam pipes and transformers explode in New York not to 
want to be anywhere near. Over the years many electricians have been 
killed when they went to check a problem and the box exploded in 
their faces. Entire neighborhoods have been shut down as the steam 
blows asbestos everywhere. No one was allowed into their apartments 
until cleanup crews were sure the asbestos was gone. I'm assuming 
there was a transformer involved, somewhere in the mess.

I recall being very concerned when 1440 Broadway in New York was 
converted into a dotcom building. Transformers were brought into each 
floor of the building just waiting to explode when about.com got too 
many difficult questions all at once.

Rich