Electric blankets warning after blaze

FIREFIGHTERS are warning about the safe use of electric blankets after a fire at an elderly Rotherham couple’s semi-detached home on Sunday.

FIREFIGHTERS are warning about the safe use of electric blankets after a fire at an elderly Rotherham couple’s semi-detached home.

It is believed the fire started due to an electrical fault in the blanket, which had been left switched on at the property in Broom Lane, Broom on Sunday morning.

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After spotting the bedroom blaze, the couple closed the bedroom door before getting out of the house safely and calling 999.

Firefighters were quickly on the scene and damage was confined to the mattress and bedding.

Watch Manager Eric Bugdol from Rotherham station said: “Thankfully the fire was spotted very early but it could have been much worse particularly as two of the smoke alarms didn’t contain any batteries and the other wasn’t positioned correctly.

“Electric blankets cause hundreds of fires every year so it’s extremely important that you have them safety checked on a regular basis and look out for danger signs such as scorch marks or fraying."

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If your blanket or its flex shows any of these danger signs, you should have it checked or replaced:

- Fraying fabric.

- Scorch marks.

- Exposed elements.

- Creasing or folding.

- Soiling.

- Damp patches.

- Tie tapes damaged or missing.

- Worn flex.

- Loose connections.

- An old BEAB safety mark—a round symbol (the new sign is white capital letters on  black background). This means it is more than ten years old.

For further advice on electric blanket safety please click here or to organise a free home safety check including the fitting of smoke alarms call 0114 253 2314.