Refrigerator explosion Fernandina
 

The online news has the story about a major explosion while the owners were out. Sad...

Here is an article about a possible cause...
Alert over new wave of exploding fridges caused by 'environmentally-friendly coolant' | Daily Mail Online

This is very scary, to say the least and a major cause for concern. So happy the owners of the home were out when this occurred, as it could have ended a lot worse. EVERYONE should google Exploding Refrigerators. I hear The Village's have sent people to investigate, as I am sure they are VERY concerned as well.

Refrigerator explodes
 

What would make a refrigerator explode? I heard this happened to a home in TV and caught the home on fire. Never heard of this happening.

I just read the article on the on-line news. Mighty poor reporting not to include the make and model of the refrigerator.

The isobutane leak possibility sounds plausible. Luckily, it is an extremely rare occurence like the British article stated. This is the first time I have heard of an exploding refrigerator.

That family was sure fortunate to be out of the house at the time.

Just google exploding refrigerators and you will get an education. Here is an example:

CR4 - Blog Entry: The Ignored Disaster: Exploding Refrigerators

Apparently many explosions are linked to the environmentally friendly coolants being used. And please note most of the dates of these articles go back to 2008-2010.

Technology? Humbug! I remember the Ice Box when I was young. Just like Ralph & Trixie on The Honeymooners. These people with the exploding fridge...We feel so bad for you! Wish a Brand and or a Model number was published. Could save many others. Hope your Thanksgiving is the best possible under the circumstances. Thankfully no one was hurt. Hope rebuilding goes smoothly.

Very unsettling news. I wonder how many of the refrigerators in TV are using this new environmentally-friendly refrigerant?

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!

It could be possible since the new enviornment friendly refrigerant do contain flammable gasses but I've never seen it happen in my trade experience.

So after a quick search...
 

it was easy to find out that The Daily Mail is considered a "rag" of a newspaper. Often being sued for misleading articles. It is akin to our National Inquirer. Why anyone would quote such a useless piece of paper is unfathomable. To top it off there are actually people who believe their tripe.

Come on folks. If you've nothing better to do than surf the internet for juicy tidbits to post on-line at least make more intelligent decisions on what you read and believe.

Fred, Fred, Fred....thank you for the setting us straight with your opinion of a newspaper. The article contained verifiable info on what causes the problem which I verified from the edu sites below before posting.
Insulting me seems unnecessary.

http://www.asu.edu/ehs/documents/fla...age-refrig.pdf
https://www.chem.purdue.edu/chemsafe...rigStories.php

By the way, for interested readers, explosions can be sparked the release of of gases from stored chemicals producing gases, as well as faulty fridges.

Hold on to your "old" fridge. The EPA issued the rule on 12/14/11 which made greener refrigeration gases legal in refrigerators. These gases are:

isobutane (aka R-600a)
hydrocarbons propane
chemical known as R-441a

Remember when we used to be admonished to stop "opening and closing" the fridge. Now the thought is that if there is an unknown leak, opening and closing may disperse the gas build up. If there is an explosion, it's been described as "violent". Pictures from the Fernandina house certainly suggest theirs was more than a "pop".

One would assume that all newer refrigerator's have this type of coolant. Most likely all residents south of 466A have This type of coolant. I have never heard of a refrigerator explosion. I am making an "educated guess" that is very rare and a "freak happening".The Villages have been using Whirlpool for the last few years and unless the resident purchased something different after home was built it was a Whirlpool Refrigerator.

Hopefully we will hear more as the investigation completes.

I live south of 466a in a new home. We have a Whirlpool side by side.
The refrigerant used in this model is r134a, the same type used in auto air conditioners. The exploding refrigerators that I read about were mostly overseas in the UK.
I'm very interested in the investigators findings.