While carrying out a Safe and Well Visit at a Bognor Regis property yesterday (12 June), firefighters found that there had previously been a small fire caused by two extension leads plugged together. The leads 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 & Rescue Service. It involves a pre-arranged visit to your home to offer advice on how to make it safer and, where appropriate, fit smoke alarms or other specialist fire detection equipment free of charge.

To find out if you’re eligible for a visit, please take a look at our website: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/west-sussex-fire-and-rescue-service/home-fire-safety/safe-and-well-visit/