Exploding light bulb

An exploding light bulb is a tungsten halogen or high-intensity discharge lamp, which ruptures explosively. Because these lamps operate with high pressure inside a high-temperature envelope, explosion can result in small pieces of hot glass ejected at high speed.

Causes of bulb explosion

If the protective outer shell of a halogen lamp is broken, the inner hot bulb may explode due to contact with moisture. Touching the glass of a light bulb with ones fingers leaves oils on the surface, which causes increased stress in the glass due to uneven temperature. This can lead to rupture of the glass, causing bulb explosion. Light bulb explosions are highly unpredictable. These explosions happen in both cold nonoperative and hot operative condition.

Hazards

Ejected high-speed glass pieces may cause minor to severe injury to people close to the exploding bulb. If inflammable material is present near the exploding bulb, it may catch fire causing damage to life and property.

Incidents

  • On December 9, 1868, the world's first traffic signal lights were installed at the junction of Great George Street and Bridge Street in the London borough of Westminster. After AbOUT a month a traffic light exploded due to gas leakage, and a policeman was badly injured.
  • In April 1978 fire broke out in Redondo Beach plant owned by GTE's Sylvania due to bulb explosion. The fire damaged two military communication satellites worth 7.35 million dollars.
  • In 1982 fire broke out in the ceremonial room of Malacanang Palace when a Christmas tree bulb exploded. President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos had to flee in his bathrobe.
  • In 1988 catholic priest Richardo Castellano was hospitalised after his eye was cut due to an exploded bulb on the set of TV show The New Breed of Man.
  • In 1999, a San Diego family settled an 11 million dollar lawsuit with Wal Mart because of a fire caused by a halogen lamp explosion. A 4-year-old girl was severely injured in this fire.
  • On February 4, 1994, a metal halide lamp at NASA's O&C high bay ceiling exploded. Glass pieces of bulb were spewed down on O&C high bay floor. No person or flight hardware were present at the time of incident. The explosion caused concern and glass fragments were sent to NASA's malfunction lab for evaluation. After observing discoloration of some bulb fragments it was determined that the exploded lamp was reaching the end of its useful life. Once the bulb reaches manufacture's recommended hours of useful life, the bulb has increased propensity to explode. However such a bulb explosion occurs rarely at the end of useful life of bulb.
  • In 2006 actor Teri Hatcher suffered an eye injury when a glass fragment of an exploded bulb hit her cornea. The incident happened on the set of Desperate Housewives.
  • In 2007 WABC-TV went off the air due to a spotlight explosion in the studio.
  • From January 1, 1992, to March 30, 1998, the Consumer Product Safety Commission received 260 reports of incidents related to halogen torchiere-style floor lamp fires. Out of 260 fires, 52 fires were caused when combustible material was ignited due to hot glass fragments from halogen lamp explosions. In all 260 cases 12 deaths and 84 injuries were reported.

See also

This phenomenon is discussed further under Metal_halide_lamp#Risk_of_.27Non-passive.27_Failure_.28Lamp_Explosion.29, Halogen_lamp#Safety and MR16#Halogen_MR16_Characteristics.