Firefighters issue safety reminder following fire in Forest Way, High Wycombe

Following a fire at a property in Forest Way, High Wycombe on Wednesday 22md July 2015 firefighters are urging people to check they are not overloading plug sockets and adaptors.

Shortly before 2.00pm firefighters from High Wycombe and Beaconsfield fire stations were called to an address in Forest Way after a fan heater caught fire in a ground floor room.

It was discovered that 10 items, including an electric heater, a hair dryer, a lamp, Christmas lights and chargers were plugged into adaptors leading to a single wall socket.

Upon arrival at the scene the firefighters discovered that the fire was already out. Before leaving the scene the firefighters ventilated the house.

Crew Commander Adam Burch from High Wycombe Fire Station said: ‘Many of us have extension leads in our homes, using adaptors to increase the number of appliances we can plug into a socket.

We are urging people not to overload their sockets because of the risk of a fire breaking out.‘

Adam offered the following safety advice:

• Although there is space to plug in several appliances, this does not mean it is always safe to do so. Different electrical appliances use different amounts of power.
• High-current appliances include kettles, hair dryers, irons, dishwashers and heaters. Low-current appliances include televisions, computers, Hi-Fi systems and radios.
• To avoid the risk of overheating and possibly fire an extension lead or socket should never have appliances that together use more than 13 amps or 3,000 watts of energy plugged into it.
• Click here for an easy-to-use online overload calculator, devised by the charity Electrical Safety First, which shows you how to avoid overloading your sockets.