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Welsh Fire and Rescue Services urge households to follow lifesaving advice to reduce Electrical Fires.

Welsh Fire and Rescue Services urge households to follow lifesaving advice to reduce Electrical Fires.

All three Fire and Rescue Services in Wales are urging households to remain vigilant and follow lifesaving safety advice after a growing concern for electrical fire safety at home. In the three years to 31st October 2022, Welsh Fire and Rescue Services attended almost a thousand accidental electrical fires in the home.

Please click on any of the links below to read the full press release.

With worries surrounding the cost of living at the forefront of all our minds, considering alternative methods of heating the home, such as electric heaters or log burners. However, rising costs mean fire prevention at home is now more important than ever. It is vital that these appliances are used correctly and not at the expense of safety.

Householders can follow these electrical fire safety tips, to reduce the risk of an accidental fire starting in their home:

  • Operate appliances according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
  • Keep electrical appliances clean, in good working order and have them serviced regularly in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Do not buy fake or counterfeit electrical goods, these maybe untested and not meet the required safety standards.
  • Don’t leave electrical appliances on standby, unless they are designed to be left switched on (fridges and freezers for example). All other appliances should be turned off at the plug, and ideally unplugged, before going out or going to bed.
  • Avoid using washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers overnight or if you’re out of the home. Don’t charge phones or gadgets overnight and on soft furnishings like in or on your bed.
  • If you do use a tumble dryer, please ensure it is well ventilated, make sure the vent pipe is kink free and not blocked or crushed in any way. Always clean out the filter after using your tumble dryer.
  • Check your sockets regularly – if you see burn marks or they feel hot, stop using them and get a registered electrician to check if they need repairing or replacing.
  • Make sure that any portable electric heaters are being used safely. They shouldn’t be used to dry or heat clothes and shouldn’t be left switched on when unattended.
  • If you use an electric blanket, check that it is in good condition and that manufacturers’ instructions are followed. If a blanket is more than five years old, consider buying a new one from an approved retailer and ensure that they are stored correctly to avoid damage to the internal wiring.
  • Use trailing gang extension leads, rather than a ‘block-type’ adaptor. To avoid overloading, don’t allow the total amps of all plugs in the adaptor to add up to more than 13 amps (or 3000 watts of power). Don’t plug adaptors into adaptors.

Fire and Rescue Services are also promoting the AMDEA Register My Appliance campaign.By registering old or second hand appliances if there is a product recall or safety issue you will be notified, and this can prevent a possible fire or hazardous condition.

You can register both new and old appliances here: https://www.registermyappliance.org.uk/

To request a Safe and Well / Home Safety Check:

Call 0800 169 1234 or visit