Overloaded plug socket causes fire

Oct 18, 2024

Emergency crews rushed to reports of a house fire yesterday.

Two crews from Dorchester Fire Station rushed to a property in the Broadmayne area at 8.27am yesterday after reports of a fire.

At the home, the occupant informed the crews that smoke was coming from a plug socket, and after a search of the home, the cause was found to be an overloaded plug socket which had melted the plug.

The electrics were then isolated, before the owner was given the following advice:

Remember – one plug per socket. If you need more plugs than there are sockets, use a multi-socket extension lead with integral fuse, never a block adaptor. To avoid overloading, please use the plug capacity calculator below to see what is safe.

Never ‘daisy-chain’ extension leads or adapters – daisy-chaining involves plugging one extension into another in order to reach further or plug more appliances in, and creates a huge fire risk.

Unplug appliances at night or when you’re not using them to reduce the risk of fire – unless they are designed to be left on all the time (for example, a fridge or freezer).

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “At approximately 08:27 yesterday morning two crews from Dorchester responded to reports of a property fire in the Broadmayne area.

“Once in attendance the crew was met with the occupant who told them that smoke was coming from a plug socket. The crew checked the property and found the cause to be from an overloaded plug socket which melted the plug.

“The crew isolated the electrics and gave advice to the owner. Please do not over load plug sockets as this can cause fires.”

For more information on electrical safety, visit https://www.dwfire.org.uk/.../causes.../electrical-safety/