Warning after charging hoverboard starts Peterborough house fire
Residents are being warned about the dangers of charging electrical items after a hoverboard sparked a fire at a Peterborough home.
On Monday afternoon crews from Dogsthorpe, Whittlesey and Yaxley attended a fire in Fletton, Peterborough. They arrived to find a fire in a first floor bedroom of a two-story house, which they were able to extinguish wearing breathing apparatus and using a hose reel. The property was evacuated before the crews arrived, but a casualty did require treatment for smoke inhalation.
Crew Commander Chris Parker, from Dogsthorpe White Watch, said: “The fire was caused by a hoverboard that was charging in one of the bedrooms. Although it is common to leave things charging in another room, there is a risk that the plug or the appliance can overheat and cause a fire. In this case the fire spread to the carpet and could have gone further. The family was extremely lucky that this did not cause a more significant fire.
“When evacuating the property the owner showed great awareness to close the door on the way out, which helped limit the spread to other rooms of the house. They also had working smoke alarms that helped raise their awareness early to allow them to evacuate.
“This family had a lucky escape as they were alerted early by a smoke alarm and got out of the property quickly, as well as limited the damage by closing doors behind them. It’s also a reminder to take care when charging any electrical item and try not to leave it unattended where possible.”
More information about preventing electrical fires in the home can be found at https://www.cambsfire.gov.uk/home-safety/.