Fire service issues safety warning after inspection of Bognor property reveals fire risk

The threat was uncovered during A Safe and Well visit at a Bognor Regis property yesterday (June 12), during which firefighters discovered evidence of a small fire caused by two extension leads plugged together; the leads had overheated and melted into the plug socket.

Nathan Cross, Head of Prevention, said: “It was a stroke of luck that this fire burnt itself out and didn’t cause extensive damage, but the consequences could have been much more serious. It’s important that occupiers are aware of fire risks in their homes and do everything possible to prevent an incident from happening."

“Over half of all accidental dwelling fires in the country are caused by electrical items, and with households becoming more reliant on electrical items, this risk of fire is increasing. I would urge people to only use one extension lead per socket, and never plug one extension lead into another.

“If you’re unsure whether your plug sockets are overloaded, you can use the socket calculator on our website to check.”

A Safe and Well Visit is a free service carried out by West Sussex Fire and Rescue, involving a pre-arranged visit to offer advice on how to make it safer and, where appropriate, fit smoke alarms or other specialist fire detection equipment free of charge.

Visits are tailored to the specific needs of a household and usually last between 30 and 45 minutes, and anyone that has a higher risk of having a fire in their home, or is less able to escape their home in an emergency, is eligible to apply. Residents with concerns about fire safety are also able to complete a free online fire safety check. Simple, and easy to follow, the check takes you through each room of your house and ask simple questions designed to help you identify safety risks at home.

Once the check is complete, you’ll receive a personalised fire safety action plan to help keep you and your household safe from fires.