South Yorkshire firefighters tackle 190 house blazes in one year

A rise in house fires across South Yorkshire has been blamed on electrical incidents.
Trevor BernardTrevor Bernard
Trevor Bernard

There were 190 house fires involving electricity in 2014/15, up from 165 the previous year and 150 in 2012-13.

More electrical devices and chargers in the home are thought to be among the reasons for the increase.

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Electricity is involved in about two thirds of all accidental house fires in the county, with household appliances the most common culprits.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue's head of community safety, Trevor Bernard, said: “This isn’t about scaremongering but about making sure that consumers have all the available safety information.

"The vast majority of electrical goods are manufactured to very high safety standards, but sometimes if they are misused or if there is a fault with the device they can start a fire.

“The simple truth is that homes have more small electrical devices in them than probably any time in our history - from tablets and mobile phones, to e-cigarettes and games consoles. Unfortunately, we can’t get round everyone’s home to check the safety of their electrics for them. But by raising awareness of the biggest safety issues. we hope we can give people the knowledge to check their own electrics and hopefully prevent a serious fire.”

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A fire service spokesman added: "Don’t buy cheap, unbranded chargers and make sure chargers are compatible to the device you are using.

"Don’t leave things to charge overnight or beyond the recommended charging time. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

"Keep electrical items away from flammable materials when charging.

"Don’t overload sockets - long, strip adaptors are safest, but can only take a total of 13 amps."