Water heaters can be a fire trap – Dagbladet.no

(Dagbladet): A woman in the 70 years died in a residential fire in Harstad on Thursday 31 March this year. The investigation has since shown that there was a mistake in the water heater This caused fatal fire, NRK writes.

– During the investigation we found out that the cause of fire was hot once a connection point on the tank. This is a hot water tank from OSO Hotwater AS, and these have This caused a number of fires in homes, says Morten Hole, station commander at Harstad police.

Fire Telemark

In 2014, This caused the same component in a water heater from OSO a fire in a house in Rauland Vinje. There was no present when the fire broke out, and the fire was stifled by a lack of oxygen. But the fire caused burns in the walls around the tank, it was sotskader ceilings inside and the whole house was affected by smoke damage.

– If this had started to burn at night it could have received far more serious consequences, saying the police conclusion that time.

OSO have long warned against tanks produced between 2009 and 2011. in 2012 they discovered the error, which enabled them in 2013 issued a warning that it could be a risk of overheating in electrical connection on their thoughts.

it is a mistake that evolves over time, and that’s why it was not discovered until 2012.

Fixed half

According to Managing Director of OSO hotwater, Sigurd Braathen, found the relevant component in 32,000 water heaters. So far they have fixed about half.

Thus, it stands still 15 000 – 16 000 water heaters with the dangerous component in Norwegian homes.

– Those who find that they have a way home must contact us in Oso. Since we are a small family business it is fine if the audience can do it by e-mail, but we will try as best we can to answer phones consecutively, says Braathen told Dagbladet.

The component can easily and legally changed by the owner, and those who want it can then have it sent and install it yourself. Oso will also assist with the replacement of people who need it.

Braathen are very sorry that the component has been the cause of fatal fires.

– There are deep tragic. We are terribly sorry that we have been the cause of a fire which lives have been lost. It’s the worst thing that could happen the family and the worst thing that could happen to us, says Braathen.

Sending information booklet

After the joint therefore sends Oso out an information booklet to all the country over 2 million households, with information about the error. They do this because it is not possible to trace how the current hot water heaters are located.

The call from Braathen is in any case clear:

– Check the water heater, and contact us if you has one of those concerned.

you can find out how to check if it comes to your water heater, and what to do to get fixed component.