Another AT&T VRAD Cabinet Blew Up; Lithium Battery Found to Be At Fault; Why No Press Reports?

News Type: Event — Seeded on Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:14 PM EST

Article Source: Free Press

technology, wisconsin, at-t, explosions, lithium-battery, avestor, battery-fire, saveaccess, vrad-cabinet

In the early hours of Christmas morning, an AT&T VRAD cabinet (DSLAM) exploded in the city of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Only days earlier, Governor Jim Doyle had signed a statewide cable franchise bill pushed through by AT&T... A SaveAccess reader concerned over the lack of any local or regional news coverage sent us the following note:

"There has been another AT&T Cabinet fire, this time in Wisconsin. At 12:30 am 12/25/07 an AT&T Cabinet at 64th St. and North Ave. in Wauwatosa, WI, exploded and caught fire. The burned cabinet was removed between 4 and 5 am and replaced with a new cabinet by 7 am. This cabinet was ... next to an office building at the request of neighbors and the city. Luckily the building is all brick and did not burn. AT&T met with city officials and are bringing in an AT&T official from San Antonio to look into the problem."

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MinnieApolis's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Media Watch
Regions: Milwaukee

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1.5

{"commentId":1362826,"authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

MinnieApolis

Wauwatosa is a suburb to the immediate northwest of downtown Milwaukee.
These are the bulky metal cabinets that were suddenly installed without consultation or public review in the median strips of local boulevards.
If this cabinet had not been moved away from a busy thoroughfare, who knows how many injuries or even fatalities might have resulted.
It is a mystery why the explosions and fires in Texas and now in Wisconsin were not duly reported in the press.

{"commentId":1362826,"threadId":"202926","contentId":"1227029","authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

1 vote

#1 - Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:19 PM EST

{"commentId":1460438,"authorDomain":"skylersmom"}

Sky-238123

No mystery why the fires haven't been reported in the mainstream media... AT&T buys a LOT of advertising...

{"commentId":1460438,"threadId":"202926","contentId":"1227029","authorDomain":"skylersmom"}

1 vote

#1.1 - Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:47 PM EST

{"commentId":1462460,"authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

MinnieApolis

Aha! Of course.
Also they might have jacked up their phone/media bills.

{"commentId":1462460,"threadId":"202926","contentId":"1227029","authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

#1.2 - Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:18 PM EST

{"commentId":5525038,"authorDomain":"bobbyggonzalez"}

Robert Gonzalez-906070

I am about to purchase a home that has (2) AT&T utility boxes on the property. AT&T has informed me that they bough the easment on what is to become my property. The main concern is that these utility boxes are within2 1/2 feet from one of the bedroom windows of the house.

I do not have any special training nor do I claim to understand the effects or safety issues related to having them o close to the house. I am especially concerned since I have three kids.

{"commentId":5525038,"threadId":"202926","contentId":"1227029","authorDomain":"bobbyggonzalez"}

#2 - Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:48 PM EST

{"commentId":5526955,"authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

MinnieApolis

First of all, I would move out anyone using that room for a bedroom -- just move that person to any other room even if it's one of the kids and they bellyache like the dickens over having to share a room with a sibling.

You can always use that room for storage or something.

After that I have no expertise in building a containment structure around the utility box -- maybe you can put up some kind of barrier even if it's only a hedge. I am thinking of some kind of reinforcement to outer wall of the house. You want something fireproof like brick etc.

Ask around at the larger hardware stores or try searching online. I will see what I can find out; if I find something I will post it here.

{"commentId":5526955,"threadId":"202926","contentId":"1227029","authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

#2.1 - Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:44 PM EST

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MINNIEAPOLIS

Backyard

Another AT&T VRAD Cabinet Blew Up; Lithium Battery Found to Be At Fault; Why No Press Reports?

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