FIRE chiefs are warning people about the dangers of charging electronic devices on beds following a house fire in south Warwickshire that started in a girl’s bedroom.
The blaze began at the house in Leamington when the charger, which had been left plugged in and charging a device on a bed, overheated and caught fire.
Upon discovering the fire, the homeowner closed the door to the bedroom which prevented it from spreading to other areas of the property, before calling 999 and evacuating to safety.
Crews from Leamington Fire Station attended the incident and extinguished the fire.
The homeowner has shared their story to help educate the public that charging electronic devices on beds or other soft furnishings can be extremely dangerous, as the heat generated during charging can ignite the material and cause a fire.
To prevent such incidents, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service recommend chargers are placed on a hard, flat surface and devices should be charged only under adult supervision.
Moreno Francioso, Fire Prevention Manager at WFRS, said: “Charging electronic devices on soft furnishings such as beds or sofas is a common cause of fire in the home.
“It’s easy to forget the potential danger when we’re just trying to charge our devices overnight or while relaxing. However, the heat generated during charging can ignite the material and cause a fire, which can spread quickly and be very dangerous.
“The homeowner here was very fortunate, thanks to their swift discovery of the fire and their instinctive closing of the bedroom door which prevented the blaze from spreading.
“To prevent these types of incidents from happening, we urge people to always charge devices on a hard, flat surface and to never leave them unattended while charging. We recommend you have working smoke alarms fitted on all levels of your home and if you do discover fire remember our simple advice – get out, stay out and call 999.”
For more fire safety tips visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafety
