Using a real-world example of a home electrical fire, this article presents a variety of ways to apply mathematical tools to explore how a safety professional might predict and prevent similar incidents. Figure 1 depicts events that took place during a fatal home fire caused by an electrical overload. Fires such as this occur when electrical resistance generates heat in wires and other conductors. Heating will be minimal if the electric current does not exceed the rated load of the electrical system. Excessive currents, in contrast, may heat conductors to temperatures capable of igniting wood and other building materials.
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