Smart meters are being implemented across the country, and the globe, even in spite of growing concerns about their safety. Smart meters have been associated with a wave of unexplained illnesses and now they have also been associated with causing house fires.
For example, on October 26, 2012, a house burned for about 35 minutes before emergency responders could step in and do their jobs. The firefighters arrived within four minutes, but because there was a live power line involved, they were forced to stand by until the power could be shut off. Gibsons’ fire chief Bob Stevens noted that the fire was primarily located around the meter base and its connections. Fire personnel tried their best to control the blaze while they waited for the power to be cut off so they could take care of business.
While the official cause was not stated, it was highly suspected that the fire was caused by an electrical problem.
The Gibsons fire is not the only fire to be linked to smart meters. A report by the Ontario Fire Marshals’ Office attributed smart meter installations to a number of fires in the area. Faulty base plate connections, defects and careless installation were just a few mechanisms suggested to be behind the link between smart meters and house fires.
And yet, utility companies continue to assert that these devices are totally, completely safe. In fact, they are often compared to being equal to cell phones and cell towers — which have also been shown to be quite dangerous and are associated with many health problems. The World Health Organization has even listed radiation as a Class 2B carcinogen based on studies that have linked cell phone radiation to brain tumors.
Smart meters are really anything but smart. They have numerous risks to humans and their environment, and are really just another tool for Big Brother to spy on you with. Why take the risk of losing your home — or your life?
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