One evening, various rescue service vehicles gathered in the yard of a multi-story building on Bultu Street in Riga. One of the residents of the building smelled burning rubber in the entrance. Thanks to his actions, residents of several apartments were saved from serious damage to the wiring and a major fire, reports the program Degpunktā (TV3).
Around 6:00 PM, a resident of a five-story building entered the entrance and noticed an unpleasant smell coming from the electrical panel on the second floor. Without hesitation, the man called the rescuers and alerted neighbors from nearby apartments.
“ I was cooking, and suddenly… It was impossible to understand what that smell was. Then the neighbors noticed something and called the firefighters. Everything is fine with us. The firefighters said something — either fuses or some wires… They say this happens in such houses. [Degpunktā: Was there heavy smoke?] Not much, just the smell — either plastic or not quite plastic,” said the owner of one of the apartments.
Thanks to a neighbor who entered the building at the right moment and smelled the burning odor, the rescuers were able to quickly eliminate the danger without any injuries. However, the family had to spend almost a day without electrical appliances.
The apartment building was built in 1978. An inspection of several electrical panels gives the impression that the wiring in some apartments has not been changed since the first residents. This issue is also noted by the residents themselves.
Residents should take responsibility and check the condition of the wiring at least once every 10 years. This can protect against electrical injuries as well as destructive fires caused by faulty equipment. Insurance companies also require this.
