“Electrical fires are a major cause of fires in the home in Essex.”
Reported Neil Fenwick Divisional Officer of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
“Shockingly over the last year electricity accounted for four house fires a week in the County of Essex the majority of these fires started in the kitchen either caused by faulty wiring or faulty kitchen appliances.”
The statistics for Essex showed that alarmingly more than a quarter of domestic fires occurred in homes with no working smoke alarms, this statistic is reflected throughout the UK.
Neil Fenwick stressed that, “Many of these fires are preventable as long as people take the time to ensure that their electrical appliances are safe and that they never overload plug sockets. Ensure that no more than 13 amps worth of appliances are in any one plug socket.”
“All too often it is the simple things that people could check for themselves that can lead to a serious accident. So we are urging everyone to make basic visual checks around the home to ensure its electrical safety.
“This check should look for old or worn flexes and make sure that all appliances are clean, well-cared for and in good working order.
“The best advice I can give is make sure that you fit, and regularly test, a smoke alarm. It is the single most important piece of safety equipment in any home. A smoke alarm provides vital warning that a fire has broken out waking sleeping people up and giving everyone time to get safely out.”
CGE works extensively throughout Essex carrying out electrical compliance testing, Fixed Wire Testing and PAT testing for our customers, helping the community of Essex to remain safe at home.
NB. If you are a tenant, then your landlord is responsible for the Fixed Wiring in your rented property and any electrical appliances that are part of your rental agreement. See more details in our next blog.