Explosion in Roi Et: Fridge Blast Ravages Four Homes

[webfact]

 

In the early hours of the morning in Roi Et, a deafening explosion tore through a family home, damaging it and three neighboring residences. This incident, stemming from what appears to be a refrigerator malfunction, prompted immediate response from local authorities.

 

At around 5 a.m. today, residents of Dong Lan subdistrict were startled by a blast that originated from a household appliance. The explosion was so powerful it shattered windows, and compromised the structural integrity of several buildings in the vicinity.

 

The homeowners, a family of three, were fortunately unhurt but in shock. “We were asleep when suddenly our house shook with a loud boom," recounted Rungrawee, 39, the homeowner. "We immediately checked and found our fridge in flames.” Despite attempts to contain the fire, the severity of the explosion forced the family to evacuate swiftly.

 

Police and fire services arrived at the scene to assess the damage and investigate the cause. While initial checks suggested a gas leak, subsequent inspections dispelled this theory; the gas tank was intact and showed no signs of tampering or fault.

 

Further complicating the investigation is the electrical setup in the home. Rungrawee explained that the refrigerator, along with several other appliances, was connected via an extension from a nearby property. “We have been using this setup for years without issue," he added, suggesting an external factor may have contributed to the incident.

 

Currently, authorities are considering all possibilities, including electrical faults or defects within the refrigerator itself. The affected family has temporarily relocated to a relative's house as their home remains unsafe.

 

The local community has rallied to support the victims, and officials are cautioning residents about appliance safety, emphasizing routine checks and proper maintenance to prevent similar incidents. As inquiries continue, the true cause remains to be confirmed, leaving a neighborhood on edge but thankful for the absence of injuries.

 

Picture courtesy: 3PLUS news

 

-- 2024-07-16

 

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[Georgealbert]

Very strange incident, as halocarbon products, used as refrigerants, are not normal flammable but can explode if exposed to fire/heat, which will increase pressure in the holding container.

 

The purple fridge, about 3 years old, has also been exposed to fire and shows damage from the explosion. The report and picture below shows that the gas container/compressor has not exploded, but that does not show the full evidence, and maybe the wrong focus of the investigation.
 

The main recorded reason why a fridge explodes is normally due to the compressor, which pushes the refrigerant gas through the coils. As this gas cools and changes into liquid, it absorbs the heat from the fridge unit and helps cool all the items inside. But at times, the rear side can get really hot as the refrigerant keeps moving through the compressor and when this happens, it can cause the condenser coils to contract. This then traps the gas preventing it from venting out. As more gas is accumulating inside the compressor coil, with time, the pressure can then cause a dangerous explosion in the coils. There are no clear pictures of the condenser coils which is possibly the cause of this blast.

 

The missing detail is what caused the fire, and hence the heating up of the fridge, leading to the explosion.

 

The explosion was strong enough to demolished the house, blowing apart walls and the roof. Three nearby houses also sustained damage, with broken windows from the blast.
 

The owner also said that the only appliances near the refrigerator included a hot water pot, rice cooker, electric pan, and two cans of insecticide, and the refrigerator had recently been defrosted two days before the incident.

 

https://workpointnews.com/around/news/NBF5REN

[edwinchester]

Blame it on the pickled fish.

[animatic]

More like the damage of an exploding meth lab than a half size refrigerator. There is something wrong with this story.

[brianthainess]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Further complicating the investigation is the electrical setup in the home. Rungrawee explained that the refrigerator, along with several other appliances, was connected via an extension from a nearby property. “We have been using this setup for years without issue," he added, suggesting an external factor may have contributed to the incident.

Maybe the fridge was running on a lower voltage when connected to the neighbors house, causing the motor to overheat. 

[MalcolmB]

Safety 101

[john donson]

fridge full of explosives?