A fire broke out in a high-rise tower in Ghaziabad on April 29. In no time, the fire spread to 7 floors. The cause of the fire is being attributed to an AC blast in a flat. Before this, on April 28 in Noida as well, the main switch of an AC in a house was not turned off, which led to a blast. Why do AC blasts happen in extreme heat and how can one take precautions against it; find out in the explainer… What is the case of AC explosion in Ghaziabad? A fire broke out in Gaur Green Avenue Society in Ghaziabad on April 29, which reached up to the 12th floor in no time… Why does AC explode in extreme heat? Let’s understand what goes wrong in the AC system during summer, which causes it to explode. 1. Compressor Overheating In summers, the outside temperature is 45C+. Since the AC compressor is in the outdoor unit, it already works in hot air. Running continuously without stopping causes the compressor to overheat. The pressure increases so much that it bursts. 2. Refrigerant Gas Leakage AC contains gas like R-22 or R-410A. This works to take the room’s heat outside, which cools the room. This gas is flammable, meaning it can catch fire even from a small spark. If there is leakage in the pipe or valve causing gas to come out, then fire can break out. 3. Short Circuit and Faulty Wiring Faulty wiring and using the same overloaded socket is the biggest reason for short circuits. In summers, all the ACs, fans, and fridges in the house run together, which increases the electrical load. In such cases, a short circuit can occur. 4. Not Maintaining Old AC on Time Without servicing, AC filters get blocked. Inside the AC there is a blower fan, which draws air through the filter. If it gets blocked due to dust, then the fan has to work harder to draw air. This causes the motor to heat up and fire can break out. When air doesn’t reach the fan at all, the refrigerant gas cannot cool it. The compressor thinks the room is still hot and starts working with more force. This also increases the risk of the compressor exploding. 5. Rapid Spread of Fire in High-Rise Buildings In high-rise buildings, fire spreads rapidly from bottom to top because hot air always rises. This is called the stack effect. If the building has an open lift shaft, connected AC ducts, weak ventilation system, or fire doors that don’t close properly, then the entire structure starts working like a chimney. Have such incidents happened before? In the past few months, several cases of AC blasts have come to light. Faridabad, September 8, 2025: 3 family members, pet dog die in AC blast Telangana, January 25: AC blast in hostel, 6 girls fainted Vijayawada, 25 April: AC compressor exploded due to short circuit Noida, April 28: AC blast occurred due to not switching off the main switch What precautions are necessary to prevent sudden AC blasts when heat increases? Some precautions can be taken to prevent AC from suddenly blasting in summer Research Support – Prathamesh Vyas
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