Firefighters called out to electrical blaze in Brighton

Firefighters were called out to an electrical blaze at a property in Bonchurch Road, in Brighton, early yesterday morning (Monday 13 April).

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said that crews from Preston Circus in Brighton went to the address just after 5am yesterday.

The fire service said: “There had been a small electrical fire in the basement of a domestic property which was out on arrival.”

Crew members used a high-pressure fan to clear the smoke.

The fire service added: “For plugs and sockets, keep an eye out for the following

• hot plugs or sockets, scorch marks, fuses that often blow, or flickering lights – they are all are signs of loose wiring or other electrical problems
• badly wired plugs – any coloured wires sticking out could come loose and debris could also get into the plug
• make sure the wires are held firmly in place inside the plug
• overloaded sockets – plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket can lead to overheating
• use sockets safely – it’s better to use a bar adaptor (multi-board) on a lead than a block adaptor
• only use one adaptor per socket – don’t plug one adaptor into another and try to keep to one plug per socket

“If there is an electrical fire, pull the plug out or switch off the power at the fuse box – if it’s safe to do so. Sometimes this can stop the fire immediately.

“Never use water on an electrical fire and don’t take any risks with your safety – get out, stay out and call 999.”

For more advice, visit http://www.esfrs.org/your-safety/fire-safety-at-home/electrical-fire-safety.