There have been a number of fatalities in England in recent years where phone chargers have been the suspected cause of the fire.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service have reported 19 fires in the Bath and Bristol area alone caused by mobile phone and laptop chargers in recent times.
One such blaze, as reported by Bath Chronical started by a phone charger in Paulton, Avon, led to the death of a 63-year-old man, an inquest heard. Avon FRS have advised the public not to overcharge their devices, especially at night, never to cover them and not to use cheaper, unbranded, chargers without the CE mark.
Marek Kruger, a 53 year old man, bed bound due to a brain tumour, died in Reading in February this year from smoke inhalation as a result of a fire caused by an iPhone charger that overheated, as reported in the Independent.
And in the article How Dangerous are Phone Chargers, the BBC report on a fire in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, that killed five people as "most likely caused by an electrical fault involving a faulty charging device".
When carrying out Fire Risk Assessments or delivering fire training Synergy Fire Engineering always take time to emphasise how important it is to restrict the use of chargers to those that have been PAT tested.
Did you know your phone charger could be a killer? Are your people and premises safe from the risk of fire? Contact us for impartial advice and information on keeping safe, covered and compliant – [email protected] 0843 658 1310.