Vacuum up extremely fine material, especially particles that were electrically conductive, like metal shavings, this material may have been too small to be trapped by the filter or bag, and passed through and caused a short in the vacuum motor. This could have started the fire, and since ships and submarines are full of flammable material this could have resulted in the fire spreading like it did.

For example, in a business environment, you can't use a conventional floor or canister vacuum to vacuum up spilled laser printer / copier toner. The toner particles are too small and will go right through the filter or bag, and being electrically conductive can short the motor.

Last edited Thu Jun 7, 2012, 11:55 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm not disputing your guess; just wondering.

I was thinking that somehow the workers had vacuumed up some slag left over from welding. The bits were still hot and caused adjacent dust in the bag to ignite. I'm am led to think this by the many house fires I hear about every winter caused by ashes being left in a grocery bag or trash can. The residents think that the ashes are cold, but there's this one warm cinder in the bag they don't know about.

Thanks for the plausible method by which this could have occurred.

The vacuum would have been unplugged in storage, but perhaps not emptied, and a smoldering fire started in it.

$400 million in damages would be.

Tool boxes, welding machines, test gear, collected trash - all had to be hauled off every day. We had to sweep and clean, and empty all trash collecting devices that would be left on the ship - including ship's cleaning items that we might be useing, such as trash cans, mop buckets and vacuum cleaners.
We were required by contract to keep the ship area we were working in clean and the only things we were allowed to leave on the ship unattended after our work shift was cable we might be in the process of running, test gear that was still running overnight tests, bypass gear, or the hardware and equipment we were installing.

Sounds as if it were a shipyard issue.

Haele

I'm shopping for a new vacuum cleaner right now.

Man ... what an imperfect, flawed piece of everyday technology.

Every review, every conversation, every report on vacuum cleaners reveals something wrong with their operation.

In the 21st century it is amazing that no one has apparently constructed a reasonably-priced vacuum cleaner that works reasonably well for at least three or four years.

So, frankly I'm not surprised that it was the vacuum cleaner's fault.

(Of course, if someone knows of good vacuum cleaner, let me -- and the Navy -- know right away.)

Best vacuum cleaner on the planet.

Disclaimer: none, actually.

A lot of it is made of plastic resins, and it's starting to deteriorate.

But it does a terrific job in cat hair and dander.

I've been using for 10 years. I don't have pets, but it's still a great vacuum.

My tips:

(1) Get a bagless vacuum, no question.
(2) When you buy the vacuum, buy an extra belt and one extra of each filter.

From everything I've read Dyson is the best out there. Expensive, but the best. Of course you can buy 2-4 cheaper vacuums for the price of one Dyson.

Worth a try. At least give us the name so we'll know whose cheap shit cost us hundreds of millions.

put me to it at age 5 and have never seen a wisp of smoke.

So find the operator and sue them, too.

There's all sorts of volatile, and flammable material you'd never find in a residential home.

More than likely, the shipyard will be sued. So that's covered.

"Established on 12 June 1800 during the administration of President John Adams, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the oldest continuously-operating shipyard in the United States Navy." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Naval_Shipyard

We probably won't be suing ourselves.

Sometimes money needs to be moved from one budget to another, or an insurance policy can be exercised.

Our enemies don't need torpedoes anymore, just an Electrolux.

"Nothing sucks like an Electrolux".

That thing would suck the socks right off your feet. What a vac. We have a Miele White Star which is very good but I just love the look of the old Electoluxes.

where they had a floor dedicated to modern design, chairs, appliances, etc.

The Electrolux models were awesome.

They would of saved taxpayers millions....

sheesh....

Bring your checkbook.

When people complain of the dust in my home, I will simply point to this article and the associated risks of fire and possible nuclear explosion.

Kind of makes you think.

Did the vacuum suck, or did it suck?

With a battery issue.

My quick search didn't reveal any widely known issues with cordless appliances, but appliance fire stats are rather disturbing considering that only half of appliance fires are attributed to human error, animals, or storms.

"The Consumer Product Safety Commission, using estimates from 2006 through 2008, says that major appliances caused more than 150,000 residential fires each year, resulting in 3,670 injuries, 150 deaths, and $547 million dollars in property damage."

"More than 15 million appliance units have been recalled in the past five years for defects that could cause a fire, according to our analysis of CPSC records, with 1,942 incidents reported. Almost half of the recalled units were dishwashers, and the CPSC told us that it is investigating the problem."

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/03/appliance-fires-is-your-home-safe/index.htm

Item was manufactured in a right to work state by non-union employees.

all the toilet seat suffered smoke damage and unfortunately, must be replaced in lieu of events

Just issue them brooms.