exploding refrigerator?

[goatfarmer]

Comments?

A Florida family's Whirlpool refrigerator exploded inside their home

A Florida family is grateful to be alive after they say their refrigerator exploded inside their home Saturday morning.

www.abcactionnews.com

 

[turquoisedude]

Wasn't that horrible fire in London's Grenfell Towers a year and a half ago traced to an 'exploding' Hotpoint refrigerator? IIRC, the refrigerant was something flammable like butane.

 

[turbokinetic]

Yes, I think I remember the Grinnell Tower fire was related to a fridge fire. That one spread to flammable exterior building cladding and turned into a horrible tragedy.

For years, the mini-fridges have been charged with and R600A (isobutane)for "environmental reasons." They have been sold overseas for a lot longer than they have been sold in USA, due to our safety standards.

Now, the current generation has been so indoctrinated with environmental "teachings"; that they are willing to accept an appliance charged with hydrocarbon refrigerant. The mini fridges contain a very small charge, so that any leak would be less of a risk. However, recently, the larger fridges are also coming with hydrocarbon refrigerants. Look for the logo "natural refrigerant" and a green leaf icon.

Once enough fridges are out in the wild with this configuration; accidents will inevitably occur.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I am glad that the TV station got the brand name in the headline. I don't understand what happened. I saw no sign of combustion. Did I miss it? They are saying they saw smoke, but I wonder if it was the dispersing refrigerant like from an overcharged system forming a cloud as it expanded at lower pressure.

 

[pulltostart]

I have seen an advertisement posted on my local CL warning about the danger of this.  I've never paid a lot of attention to the posting - not really sure what good the ad is other than to serve as a warning.  The photos included in the ad look similar to what's seen in this story.  If I see the ad again I will include a link to it.

 

lawrence

 

[speedqueen]

Unbelievable, perhaps Freon might make a comeback if a few more cases of this happen. Throw away all reasonable safety for the ozone which wasn't supposed to be affected by R134a, anyway.

 

[rp2813]

So maybe the loud banging noise the fridge makes in those incessant Lowe's ads that run on HGTV isn't so ridiculous after all?

 

[lorainfurniture]

No way

First, I’m pretty sure Thats a r134 Unit. Second , if it was charged with r600 it would have perhaps 2-3 ounces tops. Butane is flammable, maybe it would push the doors open but definitely not explode like that.

I suspect there is more to the story.

 

[speedqueen]

A few ounces is a lot when you consider its normal state is a gas, gasoline fumes, for example, need only a small amount to cause a massive explosion.

 

[lorainfurniture]

I agree but gasoline is explosive. ISO butane doesn’t expand that fast. That box expanded with such force it pushed the granite counter 4-6” in to the steel frame of the cook top. I just can’t believe that butane could produce that much energy. The freezer door was bent 90 degrees from hitting the counter top.

Further, we are all ASSUMING that this fridge is filled with r600 which I highly doubt.

 

[joelippard]

I don't know, something just doesn't seem right about this after watching the news story.

 

[lorainfurniture]

I wonder if the foam liner had anything to do with it.

 

[tomturbomatic]

From the looks of it to my ignorant eyes, the rapid expansion came from inside the box, not from beneath where the compressor and other components that might provide a source of ignition are located. The evaporator in the food compartment is the low pressure side allowing the gas to boil and absorb heat so this is even stranger. I just hope that this is spoiling New Years for the Upton Family. It is a blessing that no one was in the kitchen when whatever happened happened. And, for there to be so much pressure that it blew out a window in an adjoining room, this was huge. If the problem is not found and resolved, it could stop builders from using Whirlpool appliances.

For such a violent refrigerator explosion, I don't see much flung food.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I saw this on the news tonight. Surely this would still use R-134 would it not? I know we bought a fridge in 2016 (not WP but Haier made) and it still uses it.

 

[rp2813]

Might there be a Walter White connection to this phenomenon?  Some new cold brew method?  Just saying.

 

[toploader55]

Cooling off Batch of Crack ?

Not a Wardrobe Malfunction... A Whirlpool Malfunction.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Please don't tell me the fool put ether in the refrigerator. Our professor told us about someone taking out an entire science lab in college with that stunt.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

"Ether" that, or there had to be gasoline stored too close in proximity, even a propane tank, that it took one cycle of the compressor just initially kicking on, to set off...

 

I am not worried about this happening to my fridge, but as it is pushing a decade old (It's a 2009) what can I do to preserve its longevity given that I managed to neaten it up, but still it is filled to capacity...

 

I don't like to waste food, let alone an entire kitchen, not to mention even one life, that everyone should thank their lucky stars, something important like that had been spared...

 

 

 

-- Dave

 

[turbokinetic]

There's got to be more to the story...

Looking again at the picture, I tend to agree with Tomturbomatic's observation about the lack of flung food into the kitchen. It looks like this was someone's main kitchen fridge, which would have had food stored in it. This as opposed to a beverage fridge; where closed cans could have been thrown without leaving much evidence.

It makes me wonder, as said; what was being stored in it; or if the owner may have had a motive* to induce an incident such as this.

The general public will probably never know.

* By a motive, I mean scenario similar to a possible disagreement with the company who sold the refrigerator and not providing what the owner expects for warranty service. In other words, the owner wanted to tarnish the name of the manufacturer or distributor; while ensuring he received a replacement unit.