What caused this socket to go ‘pop’?

[cwhaley]

I’ve been stripping wallpaper in one of the rooms at home. Didn’t use the steamer near any sockets (used used a dry scraper) and powered the steamer directly from another room, away from the steamer.

Today I was spraying the walls with sugar soap to scrape off remaining adhesive and all was going fine until I removed a socket to get the wallpaper trapped between it and the wall.

Took the socket away from the wall, removed the paper and decided to tighten up the terminals. Upon tightening the live terminal, there was flash, loud pop and the RCB cut off all circuits on that group. See pics of damaged socket (now removed and replaced).

I have no idea what caused it and I’m now concerned about other sockets in the house, especially as I have children. My only explanation is that residue water from the spray worked its way into the socket, but why would that cause the short? The screwdriver simply sat on the head of the screw in the terminal, and turned.

Anybody have an ideas? Happy to be shot down and called a moron for not isolating the circuit! New socket in place (tested for dead beforehand!)

 

[EFLImpudence]

The screw driver obviously touched the metal earth bar. That's what happens.

 

[EFLImpudence]

You are not supposed to remove sockets with the circuit energised - let alone tighten the screws.

 

[cwhaley]

The screw driver obviously touched the metal earth bar. That's what happens.

It wasn’t obvious to me as I couldn’t see it, but now you’ve pointed it out I see what you mean.

There is charring and molten metal on that bar.