Phone charger causes bedroom fire
Crews have issued a warning after a phone charger caused a house fire in Harlow.
Firefighters were called to a mid-terrace property in Hollyfield yesterday at 8.10pm.
Two crews from Harlow attended and found a fire in a first floor bedroom.
Watch Manager Ross Daynes said: "Crews did a fantastic job to contain the fire to the bedroom, although there was considerable smoke damage to the first floor.
"This incident highlights the importance of charging electrical items safely. The charger had been left on the bed and when it overheated it set fire to the bedding.
"Make sure you do not overcharge items, don't leave items unattended when they are charging and make sure your charger is of a good quality.
"It was very fortunate that the family noticed the fire when they did and were able to get out and call 999, because there were no working smoke alarms.
"If you don't have a smoke alarm on every level of your home, call our Home Fire Safety team on 0300 303 0088."
The fire was fully extinguished by 8.45pm.
Charger safety
Charging electrical items can caused 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
