Stay Safe at Home with Electrical Fire Safety

Stay Safe at Home with Electrical Fire Safety

Recently, while frying sausages, I accidentally triggered my smoke alarm and mistook it for the burglar alarm. By the time I realised, a fireman had arrived to check on me.

Impressed by the quick response, I’ve subscribed to the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service newsletter and would like to share some of their advice with CyprusScene readers.

“Fire service shares advice on keeping your home safe this Electrical Fire Safety Week

Online home safety check

We have an online home safety check that you can fill in to make sure you’re keeping your home fire safe.

Using our online home safety check, you can carry out your own fire risk assessment to make sure you are keeping you and your family safe from fire. Our online tool takes you through some simple questions about you and your home and provides an action plan that you can download and print.

You can carry out a check for yourself, or any family members. Friends, neighbours, registered carers, support workers and partner agencies can all use this tool. In some cases, it may suggest that we attend your property to install safety measures for you.

We also provide free Home Fire Safety visits to vulnerable residents around the county. You can find out if you or a family member or friend are likely to be eligible for a free home fire safety check by calling the automated message line on 0800 917 9994 and leave a message including the persons name, address and daytime phone number to receive a call back

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding communities of the dangers of electrical appliances in homes this Electrical Fire Safety Week.

Last year (2025), firefighters attended 10 fires started by an electrical appliance in a kitchen, such as a washing machine, washer dryer, tumble dryer, and dishwasher.

One family didn’t have smoke alarms and others had been running their appliances overnight or when they were not in the property.

Using electrical items is part of a regular routine for many individuals, so making sure to use them when awake and alert is crucial and can lower the risk of fire.

Station Commander for Community Fire Safety, Hannah Archdeacon, said: “We are reminding communities of the dangers of electrical items in properties if they are not used safely and with care and attention.

“Having working smoke alarms in your property will alert you should a fire occur, so it is important to make sure you have these on every floor and test them at least once a month.”

A few quick checks will make a big difference in making sure your home is safe from a potential electrical fire:

• Only run kitchen appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers when you are at home, awake, and alert
• Register your appliances with the manufacturer. This will help you to receive safety notices and recalls. You can also register your appliances through https://www.registermyappliance.org.uk
• Charge devices such as mobile phones when awake and alert. These chargers can overheat and cause fire when left plugged in over long periods or overnight
• Make sure to keep electrical fuses, wiring, and sockets well-maintained and do not overload your plug sockets. If you have an electrical item that sometimes trips or has a damaged cable, now is the time to get rid of it
• Do not dispose lithium-ion batteries in your regular household recycling. Doing so can cause fires. Many local shops have a battery bank where you can dispose of them, and recycling centres can also take them
• If you’re looking to buy an e-scooter or e-bike, to decrease the chances of buying a unsafe battery, look for a CE mark and buy from a reputable manufacturer.

Hannah added: “A lot of your everyday household items will contain lithium-ion batteries, such as wireless earphones, mobile phones, games consoles, rechargeable hoovers and power tools.

“Please charge these items safely. Make sure you are inside the property and unplug them before you go to sleep.

“When it comes to purchasing new chargers, make sure to buy these from reputable manufacturers. It may be tempting to buy them cheap to save a few pennies however there is no guarantee these will meet the safety regulations required.”

Take charge and be safe this Electrical Fire Safety Week. If you are interested in knowing how fire safe your home is, why not use the Service’s online home fire safety check to find out.*

Source: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

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