ooppss.....

This power company is rather fortunate that they didn't start some major fires.

Power surge smokes household appliances
Mon Aug 1, 2005 11:34 AM ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A Belgian electricity company will reimburse a number of people after a power surge ruined dozens of home appliances and tools, a company spokesman said. "Smoke was suddenly coming out of the phone, the fax machine and the video recorder," Luc Debondt told the daily Gazet Van Antwerpen.

The company accidentally raised power levels to 380 volts around the eastern town of Turnhout instead of the normal 220 volts, spokesman Jean-Pierre Blomme told VRT television. "There would be damage to electrical equipment in a great number of houses," he said, adding the company would pay for damage to machines ranging from dishwashers and drinks vending machines to video players and stereos.