Microwave Kitchen Fire

[fidlfreek]

Wow. What an awful thing!!! Especially to have that *almost* happen a 2nd time.

[lph]

ahrk! terrifying So glad you're ok.

[Grog]

Wow! That's awful! I'm glad you're okay though.

A fire is the one thing I would really have a hard time getting over. It must have been though for you back then.

[pardes]

Thanks folks. I appreciate the comments.

I've been obsessively reading smoke alarm reviews and just ordered overnight shipment of 3 from Amazon. Phew. Now maybe I can go to sleep.

Thanks again folks.

[Mr. Bloom]

Wow! Glad you're OK.

Our systems are designed to run the exhaust fan when excessive heat or smoke is sensed (personally, it seems to me that this could fan the flames). But, I'm puzzled - what precisely was burning? Was it something on the stove or a part of the unit itself? Is it possible that the oven was in a self clean cycle? Is there any grease build up that may have ignited either inside the stove top or within the fan filters?

[Tuckervill]

First thing I did was look at my microwave--it's a Frigidaire, thank goodness!

I would not be concerned about anything on the stove causing the fire, since the microwave was acting so strange. There's no reason for it not to turn off unless there is an electrical problem! My microwave has a filter on the bottom, and I'd guess that was what was on fire, having burned away from its holder onto the stove.

I'm glad you were home to stop the fire. Sorry to hear about that happening to you the first time. It's one of my greatest fears, a fire. One of my husband's ex-employees was not so lucky on Friday, we learned. Her house burned in the night and she went back in to save her dog, and she perished. Unfortunately, she lived alone, had no children, no other close relatives, and they were unable to identify her. We knew it was her house from the picture in the paper on Saturday, so my husband has the grim task of looking in his records for emergency contacts and getting that information to the police. He tried yesterday, but no one in the police department would take the information until the right person comes in this morning.

Check your batteries, everyone! Make sure one of your neighbors has a phone number or SOMETHING.

Karen

[pardes]

Thanks Mr. Silver and Karen! Yes, it had to be an electrical problem. Several of the warning reviews from users was that you COULDN'T turn it off without unplugging it. Really scary to see a machine do something like that.

Karen that is wretched about that poor woman who perished. I work at the Medical Examiner's and we see this kind of terrible thing every day but you NEVER get used to it.

Ever since the major house fire, I've been pretty OCD about leaving the house. I must check things a dozen times and even though I KNOW I've checked things, I can't tell you how many times I'd stop a block away and come back and check things again. I even do it on the bike!

I'll be happy to get home tonight and confirm that the girls are safe and sound for another day.

[deeaimond]

Oh dear..., Karen... that is so tragic.

Padre, thank goodness you're safe and sound.

When i first went to the US I was surprised that houses were mostly made of wood. Before I always thought all houses were built of brick and cement like they are here. I can see how much more of a fire-hazard that can be.

[ilima]

Yikes. So glad you caught that before it did even more serious damage.

I've been meaning to get a fire extinguisher, and I think I'll do that tonight.

[Dogmama]

Thanks folks. I appreciate the comments.

I've been obsessively reading smoke alarm reviews and just ordered overnight shipment of 3 from Amazon. Phew. Now maybe I can go to sleep.

Thanks again folks.

Padres, did you get those smoke alarms? If yes, do you like them? I have two that are hard wired into the house plus one battery operated one that I'm not too keen on. I checked your link & those look very nice. How do they attach to the wall?

[pardes]

Padres, did you get those smoke alarms? If yes, do you like them? I have two that are hard wired into the house plus one battery operated one that I'm not too keen on. I checked your link & those look very nice. How do they attach to the wall?

Yes, I have them! They attach to the ceiling (or high on the wall) with two screws. Couldn't be simpler. They are VERY loud.

A funny aside. I was getting ready for a luxurious bubble bath with candles and everything. I put one of the candles down on the small three drawer cabinet I have next to the tub. There I am naked and ready to step into the tub when one of the smoke detectors went off. I frantically ran from detector to detector, room to room, to see which one was alarming. None of them were. Every time I got to one the alarm sound appeared to be coming from another room. I made the circuit again, the dogs are FREAKING out, I'm FREAKING out by then too.

Finally I realized that the smoke detector I had replaced in the hallway was in the cabinet drawer below the burning candle and it was SIRENING for all it was worth. I had forgotten to remove the battery!

It took quite a while submerged in the bubblebath jacuzzi to calm down again.

Can you imagine what the poor dogs were thinking watching me run around naked from detector to detector? After that they both asked for a Xanax but since I don't have any, I gave them two slices of cheese instead.

[Velobambina]

Pardes -- I couldn't find anything on the CSPC or GE website about the XL1800 mode. I even called GE --- nothing.

Is your microwave http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml08/08110.html

We've been unplugging our XL1800 when it's not in use, just to be safe.

Do they call you "the streak?" LOL

[Dogmama]

It took quite a while submerged in the bubblebath jacuzzi to calm down again.

Can you imagine what the poor dogs were thinking watching me run around naked from detector to detector? After that they both asked for a Xanax but since I don't have any, I gave them two slices of cheese instead.

My dog trainer side imagines your dogs trying to figure out how to make the detector go off so they can get cheese.

Thanks for the info!