Electrical charger warning issued following fire in Much Wenlock
A Shropshire resident avoided a potentially dangerous house fire in the early hours of today, caused by an incompatible electrical charger.
On-call crews from Much Wenlock and Tweedale were called to a small kitchen fire after the homeowner was alerted by a smoke alarm in Much Wenlock at 4.34am.
Upon arrival, the fire investigation officer determined the cause to be the result of an incompatible charging device connected to a set of hair clippers.
Whilst the connector fitted the appliance, the charger was for a different electrical device.
The voltage from the charger was too high for the clippers and caused the electrical current to generate excessive heat, melting the charging device and spreading to adjacent items.
Station Commander for North Shropshire Chris White said: “Fires like these can be avoided by ensuring electrical devices are only charged using the charger they are supplied with.
“Many devices these days are portable and use a variety of different charging leads and plugs which may look compatible but could easily contribute to the cause of a fire.
“We may also have new devices around the home because of lockdown such as hair clippers. If this is the case, you should register them online so you will know if there are any safety repairs or recalls.
“If the device is next to a fridge for example, this can quickly escalate into a dangerous situation with highly flammable and toxic materials.
“Fortunately, in this case, the smoke alarm triggered the attention of the homeowner and the fire was extinguished before spreading to the rest of the house.”
