Oct 11 2008
HOT Time in Texas!
It was an ordinary evening here in the studio. The card design was in its beginning stages and the image was colored and waiting for its backdrop. Time to cut some layers. Turn on the torchere light next to the cutting station … nothing. Turn the switch again … sizzle sound, but no light. Turn that switch again! Sizzle, snap, crackle, POP ……. FIRE!
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My torchere lightbulb flamed from the bulb base, sending flames out the base of the torchere dish area. I pulled the lamp into the center of the room, away from shelves & walls, but the flames remained. When I unplugged the lamp, the flames had stopped. The entire cord was hot by this time.
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Needless to say, the adrenalin surge was pretty intense. Although I felt like the fire was out, I was concerned the walls might be hiding something. Alas, time to wake up hubby. He took the bulb out, removed the socket from the lamp, and checked inside the wall recepticle. Thankfully, there was no damage or evidence of heat, etc. inside or behind the recepticle.
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We’ve concluded that the bulb was faulty, rather than the torchere lamp. While I plan to replace this with a similar lamp for my cutting station, the lesson for me is: Do not leave the room with this type of light (halogen) turned on. I appreciate the light it gives to this important area of my workspace, but I am very thankful that I was right there when the sputtering and flames developed. I feel very blessed, and hopefully, someone else will be blessed with having read this. Thanks for stopping by, and have a sweet weekend!
~Bev
18 responses so far
Oh, wow! I’m glad all turned out okay but I bet it was scary! Thank you for the safety reminder!
oh my goodness, Bev! I’m to thankful that noone was hurt and that your beautiful studio is still all in one piece! HUGs!
WOW!!!
I am so glad that you and your home are okay!!
I am so glad that you were there to unplug it!!
Again, SO GLAD you are okay!!
oh wow! You are burning things up in Texas! I have heard bad things about those halogen lights. be careful!
Oh My, Bev! This has happened to me before and it was actually a worn out switch in the lamp. Very scary in deed! Glad you and all the toys are okay!
Yikes! That is scary! So glad you’re okay!
Oh Bev, this is too scary! I am so glad everything is OK. I am freaked out just reading about it!
oh my goodness, were you ever protected during all of that! Just another reason to give thanks to God for the ways He keeps us safe! my heart is beating fast just reading about this, so I know how traumatic it must have been for you. SOOOOOOOOOOO thankful that you are okay and more damage wasn’t done!
Jennifer
Oh My that had to be so scarey!! I’m glad everything is okay!
OMG! Thank God you were in the room, that is so scary!
Oh yikes!
oh my word…. I am glad you all are ok…
OMGoodness, so glad you were there to catch it and nothing (including you) was damaged!
Oh my gosh…how scary!! So glad you were right there, and nothing was damaged and nobody hurt!!
Oh, Bev. Glad you’re ok! Thanks for sharing this so all of us can be aware. Take care!
So glad you were there to make the “save” and that everything is ok. My hubby is an electrical contractor…..he won’t even allow one of those light fixtures in our home!
HOLEY COW!! I wouldn’t been screaming! Fortunately the fire chief lives 3 doors down from me {if this were to happen}. SO GLAD that you are ok! SCARY!
Wow, that was a scary situation!!!
I don’t like halogen myself, because of how HOT it gets….EEEEKKKKK!
You need to get an Ott Light from JoAnn.com…you will love it! And it’s not hot at all!
So glad you are ok….take care! 😀