Warning issued after house blaze caused by faulty fuse board

On September 5, shortly before 7am, firefighters raced to an address on Austin Friars, Stafford, to reports of a house fire.

On arrival, crews found the home filled with smoke and utilised breathing apparatus, hose reels and a covering jet to combat the blaze. Once doused, a report concluded that the fire was accidental and was caused by a faulty fuse board.

While no one was injured, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service used the blaze to warn residents of the potential dangers of faulty electrical equipment.

Tim Hollingworth, station manager at Stafford Fire Station, said: "Crews worked quickly at the scene to contain the fire and stop it from spreading to the surrounding buildings.

"There are a number of factors around the modern home which can increase your risk of falling victim to accidental fires, including faulty or overheating electronics, which is why it’s so important to be aware of the risks and take action to mitigate them before the incident happens."

Following the fire, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue investigated the scene and later deemed it to be accidental as the result of faulty electrics in the fuse board intake area.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue went on to list a number of ways in which residents can protect themselves from accidental fires when using electrics. including: only using official chargers, making sure all electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark, and not overloading sockets.

For more information on staying electric safe in your home, visit electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/