On Oct 8, 1:50*am, Donna Ohl wrote:
On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 00:13:06 -0500, Steve Barker DLT wrote:
Just replace the element. *I wonder if those firemen replace their car when
a headlamp burns out? *Hmmmmmmmmm

I was hoping I could replace the element!

The element is replaceable and available online. Google appliance
parts. However, whether that's the only problem and the only thing
that needs to be repaired depends on what else may have been damaged
as a result of what happened.



I'm not sure if it's a bake element or a broil element but it's the top
element as shown in this picture (http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnaohl).

It's the upper element, which is commonly referred to as the broil
element. However, some ovens may use it to pre-heat or cycle it
during bake, etc. too.



Do you have any idea what caused the fire?

What exactly was burning in the fire? If the element failed, I could
see it getting very hot, arcing, maybe some small flames around the
element itself. But beyond that, for there to be any substantial
fire, you need a fuel source.



I'm confused because, if an element is just a resistor, opening it would
just cause it to stop heating. But even with the oven switch turned off,
the fire was still going until the fire department closed the oven door and
shut off the electricity to the house.

It shouldn't have taken the fire dept to figure out to close the oven
door and cut off the electricity. Were you planning on toasting
marshmallows? And again, the question here is exactly what do you
mean by fire and what was burning?



What caused the fire?

My guess would be a failed heating element.