TORCHERE LAMPS
BY RONALD RAKOSNIK, FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC, FIRE INVESTIGATOR, LOMBARD (IL) FIRE DEPARTMENT
On Tuesday, May 16, 1995, at 1641 hours, the Lombard (IL) Fire Department responded to a reported house fire. Companies due on the box alarm were Lombard Engines 43 and 45, Ladder/Tower 52, Medic 62, a mutual-aid engine, and two chief officers.
Engine 45 was first on the scene and reported fire showing on the northeast side of a single-family residence on the second floor, a bedroom.
The leadout consisted of a three-inch supply line with a 112-inch gated wye with two 134-inch attack lines. Entry was made through the front door to the stairway and then to the fire room. The fire was extinguished within 10 minutes of arrival and was confined to the bedroom, although smoke damaged a good portion of the residence.
At the time of the fire, a teenage girl was folding laundry in her bedroom. She had moved a torch`ere floor lamp with a halogen bulb to make room for the laundry on the floor. Not realizing that she had moved the lamp within five inches of a combustible valence, she turned it on. With her back to the lamp, she then began talking on the telephone. After about five minutes, she smelled something burning. She turned around and saw the valence in the free-burning stage and fire igniting combustibles on top of the dresser. She ran out to a neighbor`s house to call 9-1-1. The Lombard Fire Department arrived on the scene within four minutes of dispatch.
The halogen torch`ere floor lamp has either a 300- or 500-watt halogen bulb. These bulbs can become extremely hot in a minute. The 300-watt bulb can quickly reach 9407F, and the 500-watt 1,2007F. The top of the lamp is open, and the bulb is not protected by a guard. After we reconstructed and videotaped the incident, we contacted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) office in Chicago, reported the incident, and asked if there had been any fire reports involving these lamps. There had not been, and we advised the CPSC of the need to investigate this potential hazard.
LESSONS LEARNED AND ACTIONS TAKEN
We found the following:
Halogen bulbs get very hot quickly. In less than a minute, a 300-watt bulb can reach 9407F and a 500-watt bulb can reach 1,2007F.
The bulb is not protected from damage or guarded from coming in contact with objects.
The label warning of a potential fire hazard and high heat was inadequate. It was printed in red on white paper three inches by 38 inch that was folded in half and attached to the cord one foot from the plug.
We recommend that a guard be placed over the halogen bulb and that a more visible warning (e.g., fluorescent orange) indicating potential hazards be provided.
The CPSC investigated our findings on the torche`re lamps, and as of June 1, 1996, was working in conjunction with Underwriters Laboratories (UL). They were leaning toward a mandatory guard on all halogen torche`re floor lamps and considering a more visible warning label.
These lamps can be extremely dangerous if not used properly. We feel that these lamps may have caused various fires throughout the United States and have been overlooked during fire investigation. n
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The left front window on the second floor is the room of origin. On the left side of the house, the window nearest to the front is the area of origin. (Photos by Jim Barron.)
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(Left) The site of the fire origin. The remains of the lamp are on top of the dresser and on the floor to the right of the dresser. (Right) The white lamp in front of the window is identical to the one involved in the fire and in the same position. The remains of the actual fire lamp are in front of the dresser and by the base of the white lamp.
