Photos from the second AT&T VRAD cabinet explosion

Phil Harvey, Editor-in-Chief

January 22, 2008

Last week, Light Reading broke the news that AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) has set out to replace the 17,000 Avestor batteries providing backup power to its U-verse network equipment cabinets in neighborhoods all over America. (See AT&T Begins Massive Battery Replacement.)

The carrier's decision came as a shock for two reasons. First, AT&T's actions fly in the face of the independent test it used to claim that the batteries in its VRAD (video-ready access device) cabinets were safe and stable. (See AT&T: Defect Caused VRAD Explosion.)

Second, though AT&T had previously suggested the incidents involving its equipment cabinets in Houston were isolated events, our reporting uncovered two more incidents -- a fire in Cleveland and a violent explosion in a Milwaukee suburb. After four incidents in two years, AT&T is finally addressing the public safety concerns raised in the first battery explosion of October 2006.

The most recent equipment incident occurred on December 25, 2007, when a cabinet at the corner of 64th Street and North Avenue in Wauwatosa, Wis., exploded and burned violently, according to city officials and a blog post on SaveAccess.

Light Reading has obtained the photos of the Wauwatosa equipment explosion, as well as witness statements and fire department reports. These exclusive photos include some pictures of the fire in progress, as photographed by an alert resident, and several pictures of the charred remains of AT&T's gear.

To begin the photo slideshow, click here:

To skip straight to the photos of the damaged cabinet taken from inside AT&T's storage yard, on December 26, 2007, start the slideshow here:

For photos of the new, replacement cabinet, start the slideshow here:

For our earlier slideshow in this series, which included exclusive photos of the October 2006 equipment cabinet explosion in Houston, please see: Exclusive Photos: Fire to the Node.

— Phil Harvey, Editor, Light Reading

Broadband on FireThis photo shows the AT&T VRAD cabinet fully engulfed in flames,
just after midnight on December 25, 2007.
Photo by Wauwatosa resident David Furru.Front DoorHere's the VRAD cabinet's front door. Photo by Wauwatosa Fire Department.Inside ViewHere's an inside view of the burned cabinet, before it was removed from its pedestal.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.That's HotThe Wauwatosa FD fire log says this is a closeup of the lithium battery pack.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Vinyl DrippingsA day after the fire, a new cabinet is in place. But the building's window
has one missing shutter, and a melted one, too.Side ViewHere's a side view of the building. Other than the shutter damage and some interior water damage,
not much harm came to the structure, officials said. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.AT&T StorageHere's the cabinet carcass at the AT&T storage yard on December 26.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.AT&T Storage, IIHere's the bottom of the cabinet remains, as photographed in the AT&T storage yard.
That looks to be the remains of the battery. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.AT&T Storage, IIIAnother closeup of the wreckage. Could almost be conceptual art, eh?
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.AT&T Storage Yard, IVThe fire department photo log calls this "unidentified debris." We concur.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Dead DoorThe front cabinet door was found about five feet southwest of the cabinet.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Blowing the Doors OffHere's an exterior photo of the right side door. Note that the padlock is still in place.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Locked UpPadlock closeup, as requested by the padlock's agent. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Smoky DoorHere's the exterior of the front door of the cabinet. Again, note the door appears locked, and that the smoke passed through the vents prior to the explosion. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Locked UpYep, it's locked. Another sign the door was blasted off.More DamageAnother bit of modern art. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Front DoorHere's an interior view of the front door. The fire department's photo log says the lack of high heat damage suggests it was sent sailing. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Product NumbersThis closeup of the inside of the front door, shows that the product information is still readable.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Merry ChristmasWell, look. Ma Bell showed up on Christmas morning with a brand new VRAD cabinet.New CabinetFresh paint, new padlocks, and no explosives. How nice. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Inside the VRADThis photo of the new cabinet was taken for reference, so the fire department could determine
what the thing was supposed to look like. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.New Cabinet, Side DoorPhoto by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Another Burning ViewPhoto by Wauwatosa resident David Furru.Fire CloseupIt's no wonder residents initially thought the whole building was ablaze.
Photo by Wauwatosa resident David Furru.Fire's OutAfter the fire, this photo reveals the relative location of the AT&T cabinet and electrical pedestal.
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Time for MarshmallowsAnother shot of the blaze, as it was in progress, by Wauwatosa resident David Furru.Side DoorThis side door was found four feet from the cabinet, according to the fire department's photo log.
According to fire personnel, "the door was attached and dislodged during the fire attack."
Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.North SideHere's the north side of the cabinet, post fire. Photo by the Wauwatosa Fire Department.Your Door Is AjarInside of the front door, just after the fire.

Read more about:

Omdia

About the Author(s)

Phil Harvey

Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

Phil Harvey has been a Light Reading writer and editor for more than 18 years combined. He began his second tour as the site's chief editor in April 2020.

His interest in speed and scale means he often covers optical networking and the foundational technologies powering the modern Internet.

Harvey covered networking, Internet infrastructure and dot-com mania in the late 90s for Silicon Valley magazines like UPSIDE and Red Herring before joining Light Reading (for the first time) in late 2000.

After moving to the Republic of Texas, Harvey spent eight years as a contributing tech writer for D CEO magazine, producing columns about tech advances in everything from supercomputing to cellphone recycling.

Harvey is an avid photographer and camera collector – if you accept that compulsive shopping and "collecting" are the same.

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes it's completely free.

You May Also Like