Transcript LADWP Transformer Fire 956 Seward St., Los Angeles California Conducting The Investigation Observe, document and evaluate all of the physical evidence available Obtain all.

LADWP Transformer Fire
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
Conducting The Investigation
Observe, document and evaluate all of the
physical evidence available
Obtain all available witness statements and
observations
Obtain all other relevant data (weather, alarm,
etc.)
Determine the area of fire origin
Evaluate sources of ignition within the area of
fire origin
Evaluate all possible scenarios and determine
the most viable hypothesis that is consistent
with the physical evidence, witness
observations, relevant data
Los Angeles Fire Department Investigation Report
Date of Loss: December 17,2002
Time: 0014 Hrs
Location: 956 Seward St., Los Angeles CA.
Incident #: 0014
Cause: Undetermined
Comments: Most Probable Cause:
Transformer Fire/Boiling Oil Ignited Roof
Material
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Date
12/16/2002
12/16/2002
12/17/2002
Time
10:47
11:47
00:47
Sky
Few-Broken
Clear
Scattered-Overcast
Visibility
8 miles
9 miles
10 miles
Temperature
550F.
530F.
530F.
Weather
Rain (Trace)*
Humidity
93
96
93
Wind Speed
3
3
0
Wind Direction
Variable
Variable
Data from USC campus, downtown Los Angeles
*1.94” Rain from 1:00pm-6:00pm and .02” rain from 10:00pm-11:00p
LADWP Transformer Fire
Pre-fire Aerial View
Skylights
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
LADWP Transformer Fire
Post-fire Aerial View
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
LADWP Transformer Fire
NORTH
LADWP Transformer Bank
Romaine St
Hudson Av.
Seward St.
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
LADWP Transformer Fire
2nd Floor Building Plan View
Area of Fire Origin
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
LADWP Transformer Fire
North side of the building (Looking East)
LADWP Transformer Bank
Containing 3 Transformers
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
Security Camera
(2 seconds after the explosion)
Security Camera (Looking Northeast)
The surrounding
apartments appear
to be dark.
The intense light from
the N/E corner of the
intersection remains.
956 Seward St., Los Angeles California
Possible Scenarios
An Electrical Failure in the Building Caused a
Massive Arc-Fault in Transformer?
No reported evidence of failure(s) in
secondary transformers providing
power to the building.
Pole
Pole
The transformer failed prior to any
evidence of fire in the building.
There is no physical evidence to
support this theory.
Secondary transformers
Provide building power
Primary
Transformer power