Palm Springs, California —

Greg Lee, KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2, reported January 21, 2014:

“Firefighters plan to be on scene at the Sunrise Villas all night because of another flare-up in one of the condos.  The Palm Springs Fire Department and CAL Fire responded to multiple electrical fires in the area of St. George Circle and Mesquite Avenue around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.  Fires burned in four separate units after residents reported hearing popping and seeing smoke from several utility boxes.  “As soon as I got out of the car, I heard another boom,” said David Patterson, who lives in the complex.

The boom came from a utility box in the middle of a power outage and set off a chain reaction of dangerous events.  “I’d seen smoke and sparks and it was outside, the backyard, where the cables are,” said Mercedes Chavez, who works at the complex.”

http://www.kesq.com/news/multiple-electrical-fires-reported-in-palm-springs/-/233092/24042136/-/85475az/-/index.html

Popping sounds are one of the warning indicators of Smart Meter problems.

In 2010, Sage and Associates warned of the risks of electrical fires from Smart Meters. That report is here: http://eon3emfblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Wireless-Smart-Meters-and-Potential-for-Electrical-Fires.pdf

Smart Meters have overheated, exploded, caught fire. 80 Smart Meters caught fire in East Palo Alto in 2011 — http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=22378

In 2010, a man in Vacaville, California, died as a result of a Smart Meter fire. http://stopsmartmeters.org/2013/06/21/when-smart-meters-kill-the-story-of-larry-nikkel-details-emerge-of-vacaville-ca-smart-meter-fire-death/

At a California Public Utilities hearing in 2012, Patrick Wrigley stated he was a former PG&E meter reader who was fired for not keeping quiet on Smart Meter problems —

“The fact that PG&E knows that they do catch on fire when they are remotely turned back on when a customer who is delinquent in their bill finally pays their bill. These meters catch fire. They know it, and they are covering it up.”

In November 2012, a fire captain wrote about what happened to him personally:

http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?p=9013
“Fire captain finds hazardous power surges follow Smart Meter installations”

A law firm in Texas specializes in Smart Meter fires.

When Sensus meters caused overheating and fires, investigations took place in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois.  But not in California.

There is a growing compilation of reports here—

http://emfsafetynetwork.org/smart-meters/smart-meter-fires-and-explosions/

Whistleblower Don Baker filled a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Alabama against Southern Company, Alabama Power, and Sensus (a major Smart Meter manufacturer) for knowingly installing defective meters that could cause fires. The U.S. Attorney’s office declined to investigate. That story is here:

http://stopsmartmeters.org/2012/01/20/meters-that-endanger-shocking-details-from-a-whistleblower/

In the complaint Baker relates in detail what makes the meters dangerous, and the allegations are damning—and alarming. A few highlights:

[Meters] may fail dangerously when subjected to a sudden surge of electricity …. Meters found to contain ‘flux’ or loose solder residue …. Calibration equipment not properly designed …. Electric resistor component defective …. Internal temperatures up to 200° Fahrenheit …. Hot socket alarm …. Drastic overheating to the point of catastrophic failure, melting, and burning….

“Mr. Baker has direct personal knowledge that Sensus and Southern Company [the utility] have installed approximately one  million iConA meters in Alabama homes with knowledge that the meters are seriously defective and pose a substantial fire hazard and that at least two Alabama homes have burned as a result…. [They] were well aware that the iConA was defective and the entire project flawed.”

Why hasn’t there been a full-scale public investigation by state fire marshals in California?

Why the silence or even retracted stories?

Is it because of the cozy relationship California Gov. Jerry Brown and politicians have with utility companies, including SCE and PG&E? For instance —

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/11/jerry-brown-names-pge-official-dana-williamson-senior-adviser.html#ixzz1ciLUiXdy

In Australia, in 2011, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade launched an official investigation into fires linked to Smart Meters.  They ordered “all firefighters to report fires, where smart meters are present and has advised officers not to allow power companies to take the meters from the scene. ”

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/breaking-news-blog/fires-linked-to-smart-meters/20111107-1n2jz.html

But not here in the U.S.

How many people have to die or suffer fires at their homes or businesses before state and national fire officials protect the public?

NOTE:

If you have experienced electrical problems, including fires, burnt-out appliances and outlets, report these to EMF Safety Network — http://emfsafetynetwork.org/contact-us/

Also report them to your fire department.

If you hear popping or other noises coming from your electrical panel, or a Smart Meter is hot or the panel is smoking, call your fire department IMMEDIATELY. Be sure to document with photos or film footage.