A current limiting fuse and an expulsion fuse are disposed in side by side relationship on a common supporting structure. One terminal of each fuse are interconnected electrically. The other terminals of each fuse are spaced by a predetermined insulating gap. An external circuit which includes a voltage source and a load to be protected is connected in series circuit relationship with the terminals of the expulsion fuse. The current limiting fuse is only disposed in circuit relationship with the external circuit for current limiting purposes when the expulsion fuse blows because of a relatively high value of fault current. This causes gaseous products to be directed from an internal portion of the expulsion fuse to a region between the unconnected terminals of both fuses. This gas conducts electrical current, thus in effect connecting the current limiting fuse in parallel circuit relationship with the expulsion fuse to commutate the fault current from the expulsion fuse to the current limiting fuse to provide a fault current limiting operation.