Exploding Smoke Alarms

1
Exploding Smoke Alarms

• Amy Teddy
  South Metro Fire Rescue
  Public Education Specialist
  720-488-7164 a.murphy_at_southmetro.org

2
The Culprit

• WHO
• BRK Brands, Inc. (First Alert)
• WHAT
• Hard-wired smoke alarms
• Model 4120B or 4120SB
• Date 1998 - Oct 2000
• DEFECT
• Undersized battery compartment
• No recall issued by CPSC or BRK (yet)
• BRK became aware of this issue made a design
  change in Oct 2000 newer
  units do not have this problem.

3
History

• Summer 2002 BRK changed design
• June 2005 BRK advisement (most current)
• 3/13/06 phone call from Dave
• 3/10/06 St. Louis story
• 3/14/06 Philadelphia story
• 5/4 5/5 CBS 4 Denver story

4
What Happens

• Consumer replaces back-up battery with Duracell
  battery
• Duracell 9-volt batteries are slightly longer
  than other 9-volt batteries
• Improper contact with Duracell battery causes
• Premature draining of charge (within days or
  weeks)
• overheat
• expand
• explode

5
Reports

• Battery exploded while on the ladder to change,
  or shortly after removing
• Series of explosion episodes
• Explosion sounded like a bomb in my home
• Many calls to 911 w/ fire response
• Told to get units checked replace
  batteries..unknown cause
• Premature and/or intermittent chirping
• Unexplained alarms
• affect of explosions on circuitry of the units?
• Due to series of issues annoyance (over yrs)
  flipping circuit that eliminates electrical
  current to system being unprotected

6
Collateral Concerns

• Death/Injury
• Disabled alarms
• Reliability
• Significant falls from ladder
• Battery debris contact with
  skin and/or eyes
• Cost
• 700 for an electrician to re-wire install new
  units
• Property loss

7
Recommendations

• South Metro Fire Rescue St. 36
• Replacement batteries units available
• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
• File unsafe product report
• 1-800-638-2772
• www.cpsc.gov

8
Preventive Recommendations

• Use caution (especially Duracells)
• Do not replace alone
• Wash hands after handling battery
• Do not touch eyes
• Proper replacement batteries
• Eveready 522 sold as Energizer Max
• Recommended by Energizer
• Eveready 1222 sold as Eveready Super Heavy
  Duty
• lower performance compared to the 522

9
Things to know

• BRK 9120
• Requires installation of new bracket
• SMFR 4120
• Has silencing feature easily confused w/ test

10
Types of Smoke Alarms

• Ionization
• Photoelectric
• Dual-Sensor

11
IONIZATION

• 5-10
• Easy access
• Standard in construction?
• Flaming fire
• Sensitive to minute smoke particles

12
PHOTOELECTRIC

• 20-25
• Smoldering fire
• Less sensitive to normal cooking, humidity, etc.

13
DUAL-SENSOR

• 30
• Both flames smoke
• Battery operated
• Recommended
• technology has existed since 1979 unacceptable
  for company to continue to market inferior
  product

14
PREVENTION is key!

• Smoke alarms are one component of a comprehensive
  residential fire protection program..
• Early detection is crucial to escape
• Large homes battery-operated alarms

15
Next Step.

• Contract Electrician?
• Purchase dual sensor distribute?
• BRK/First Alert
• Battery only
• Model 3002
• Kidde
• Battery only
• Model PI9000
• Hard-wired
• Model PI2000

16
More info

• www.cpsc.gov
• www.brkelectronics.com
• www.cpnhoa.org