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space heater starts major NYC fire

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jumper
jumper Member Posts: 2,501
in THE MAIN WALL
Read today that it was an oil filled type.
Long ago oil was non combustible PCB?
PCBs are a no no for quite a while now.
Are there reasonably priced non combustible low pressure fluids?

How long does it take for an uncontrolled heating element to ignite thermal fluid?

Comments

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,513
    It could have been an 18 gauge extension cord run across the room to the outlet, and lying under a rug......or some similar situation....overloaded outlet wiring etc.

    The heater could have been innocent.
  • archibald tuttle
    archibald tuttle Member Posts: 1,162
    What @juhnge said. I don't see how the oil could burn without air unless catastrophic damage to the rad so that the oil leaks out and then you still need ignition and it's not by the element anymore. 

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