Exploding TV guts six Melbourne apartments
MFB shared a photo of the TV with the caption, "Here's whats left of the TV that exploded in #StKilda this morning. A timely reminder to check your smoke alarm works." (Twitter) Twitter
Two people were taken to hospital and six apartments gutted after a TV exploded into flames in Melbourne overnight.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade arrived at the St Kilda apartment building about 3.30am after a backpacker couple in their late 20s reported hearing a loud bang.
When they went to their living area they saw the older-model TV was well alight and smoke billowing throughout the block.
"Generally that kind of TV will explode when they are exposed to heat," MFB spokesman Darryn Gellie said, adding there was little of it left to inspect.
Firefighters worked for up to 30 minutes to put out the blaze, which is estimated to have caused $50,000 in damages.
The fire was contained to one apartment but three other levels of the complex were smoke-logged, forcing its 30-odd residents to evacuate.
A woman and her 16-year-old son were taken to the Royal Children's Hospital and The Alfred suffering from smoke inhalation after they were rescued from an apartment above the suspected TV fire, according to Ambulance Victoria spokesman Paul Bentley.
Two others were also treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
The occupants of six apartments were forced to find alternative accommodation tonight after
MFB spokesman Trevor Woodward said six apartments were so badly damaged by smoke that they were no longer inhabitable.
Faulty television sets were to blame for four other residential fires in Victoria in the last financial year.
Source: Nine News, The Age
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Jack Hawke
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