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Residents urged to think fire safety when using technology

Residents urged to think fire safety when using technology  Residents urged to think fire safety when using technology

In response to the Government plea for everyone to stay at home to help ease the spread of the Covid-19 Virus, Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service are reminding residents across the county to think fire safety.

The timely reminder comes after three appliances and a specialist vehicle attended a flat fire in Northampton last week. Fortunately all residents had evacuated the building and no-one was hurt.

Specialist Fire Investigators discovered the fire had been caused by a laptop. The resident had been watching something on the device and once it had finished, the laptop was left unattended on the bed.

Station Manager at Mereway Fire Station, Ro Cutler, said: “The fans inside the laptop were unable to cool down components inside the device as the vents were covered by the bedding, which caused the laptop to overheat and catch fire.

“Luckily no one was hurt as a result of the fire, however it caused significant damage to the flat and other areas of the building. When using technology such as laptops and mobile phones, it is vital that you allow devices to cool down, in particularly after prolonged usage.

“This is really important in the next few weeks where we may find ourselves using these items a bit more than usual. If in doubt about an electrical items integrity, do not use it. Make a point of checking your smoke detectors.”

If using technology whether it is plugged in or not:

• Do not rest items on bedding or blankets.
• Allow room for airflow around these items so that they can cool down.
• Never keep paperwork inside a closed laptop
• After use, allow to cool on a flat hard surface such as a table where air can circulate
• Never keep your mobile devices under your pillow
• Switch off items when not in use.

For more information about home safety visit https://www.northantsfire.gov.uk/safety/

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