Firefighters issue laptop charging warning following house fire

Anybody who leaves their laptop plugged in and charging over night will want to think twice after a house fire caused by a laptop ripped through an entire sofa.

North Wales Live reports the blaze broke out at Llanfawr Close,  Holyhead  just after 8.15pm last night.

Three crews - two from Bangor and one from Caernarfon - were called to tackle the fire.

Fortunately no-one was hurt but Firefighters once again issued a warning about unattended electrical goods being on charge for prolonged periods of time.

A North Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: "Never leave laptops charging and unattended.

Laptop Fire damage in North Wales (North Wales Fire Service)

"Three of our crews were called to a fire on Llanfawr Close, Holyhead yesterday evening (Wednesday 19th June) at 8.18pm.

"Thankfully no one was hurt but the incident serves as a stark warning to never leave laptops charging unattended.

"Electrical items such as laptops and mobile phones when placed on charge can get warm, as we believe happened on this occasion, so it’s really important to keep them away from combustible materials.

"Don’t leave them on charge unattended and always use the genuine charger that came with your device."

This echoes a similar statement on the London Fire Brigade website with tips to SAFELY charge your device.

• Always use the charger that came with your phone, tablet, e-cigarette or mobile device.

• If you need to buy a replacement, always choose a branded, genuine product from a supplier you can trust. There are lots of fakes out there, and it can be difficult to spot the difference.

• Avoid storing, using or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures.

• Protect batteries against being damaged – that's crushed, punctured or immersed in water.

• Don’t leave items continuously on charge after the charge cycle is complete – it's best not to leave your phone plugged in overnight for example. 

• Never cover chargers or charging devices – that includes using your laptop power lead in bed. 

• When you travel, avoid keeping all your items containing lithium ion batteries together, especially on a plane. Check with your flight carrier for additional information or advice.

• Don't overload your sockets – learn more about how much is too much on the LFB fuses and power load page .