A warning has been issued by firefighters about charging phones in bed after a fire caught ablaze in a Tyneside home last week. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) crews responded to the fire after a 999 call was made.
Chronicle Live reported that TWFRS prevention and education manager Karen Soady said: “Christmas is an exciting time and we often gift each other with electrical items, however you need to take care when plugging them in and testing them out. We all can become overwhelmed around this time of the year – not least the electrical sockets in our homes. Anything with a heating element should be plugged into a wall and not an extension."
“You should also avoid cheaper alternatives to chargers as they aren’t subject to the same stringent fire safety tests as legitimate products.”
She also encouraged people to turn sockets off at the wall when not in use, and to regularly check smoke detectors are in order because “they are the first line of defence when it comes to fire”.
Anyone who needs a new smoke detector should contact TWFRS.
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