This is the shocking damaged caused by a fire that was started when a laptop was left charging on a bed. One person was advised to have hospital treatment after the fire started in the early hours of the morning at a house in Brecon. Three other people in the house managed to get out safely after the alarm was raised at around 2.48am.
A fire crew from Brecon were called to the property on Saturday, March 24, and now Mid and West Fire Service is using the image to get the message across about the dangers chargers can present. They say devices and appliances should not be left charging unattended.
The fire had been extinguished on arrival, so the crew were involved in damping down and ventilating the property. A statement from the Fire Service said: "When charging, devices and appliances - such as mobile phones, laptops, e-cigarettes, and massagers - can become hot and easily overheat. Not only does the build-up of heat pose a fire risk, it can also lead to damage to the device’s battery."
The fire service recommends you:
- Stop using a charger if you suspect that it is faulty or fake.
- Do not use a charger if you have to force it into the wall socket, and don’t use it on an extension lead.
- When left plugged in overnight, especially if on soft furnishings or covered, phone chargers could overheat and cause fires.
- Make sure you follow instructions for all electrical devices and that you use the correct chargers in line with the manufacturer’s guidance. If the wrong charger is used for an electrical device, the internal battery can’t handle a different voltage and it can catch fire.
The warning comes just days after another fire at a house in Ebbw Vale.
This is what left of a bedroom in a family's home after an unattended oil burner caught fire. Local neighbours spotted the fire in the top bedroom of a house and raised the alarm with the family who were unaware downstairs.
Fire crews were called to the house on Marine Street, at about 8:24pm on Friday, February 17. The burner had been left on a windowsill and a passer-by spotted the blaze from the street.
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