House fire caused by electrical item left on charge
Crews have issued safety advice after a house fire was caused by an electrical item left on charge.
We were called to reports of a fire in Brunwin Way, Rayne yesterday (Tuesday 16 July) at 10.24am.
A neighbour spotted smoke coming out of a window and called 999.
Firefighters from Braintree, Chelmsford, Dunmow, Halstead, Hawkwell and Wethersfield attended.
Station Manger Tim Rickard said: "When we arrived there was a significant fire in the semi-detached house, which had spread through the roof into the neighbouring property.
"Crews worked quickly and professionally to extinguish the fire and stop it from spreading further.
"Unfortunately the first floor has been significantly fire damaged and both properties have been left uninhabitable."
The fire was extinguished by 12.38pm.
An investigation has found the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
Station Manager Jon Webster said: "The occupant had left a virtual reality headset on charge and went out, and we believe an electrical fault started the fire.
"This incident highlights the dangers of leaving items unattended and on charge for a long periods."
Charging safety advice
Charging electrical items can cause a real danger in your home. Please follow this safety advice:
- Don’t leave items on charge or plugged in overnight or while you are out of the house
- Never leave chargers plugged in and turned on when they are not in use
- Avoid leaving items on charge for long periods
- Only use the charger supplied by the manufacturer
- Look out for the CE mark that indicates chargers comply with European Safety standards
Could you be an on-call firefighter?
Firefighters from Braintree, Hawkwell, Halstead, Dunmow and Wethersfield who attended this incident are on-call firefighters. They live or work within 5 minutes of the fire station and are paid to protect their community.
If you live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter too.
Find out more about the role and how to apply here.
