LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – Cell phones, tablets and laptops are part of everyday life, but they can also pose a fire hazard that people may not think about.
The theme for Fire Prevention Week is “Charge into Fire Safety,” and the Lima Fire Department is visiting city schools to talk about how chargers and devices could lead to a fire.
Many older homes have a limited number of electrical outlets, and charging multiple devices at once can strain the circuit box and start a fire. Firefighters also caution against throwing old lithium-ion batteries in the trash because they can pose a fire risk.
Fire officials recommend unplugging chargers from the wall when not in use and being cautious when buying replacements.
“So, a lot of times we lose the charger, or somebody acquires the charger that doesn't belong to them, but when we need to replace it. We think, I just need to get the cheapest charger or you get it from a gas station or somewhere and it's not manufactured for that particular product in the same way. And they feel that their phone or their tablet gets warm, but they don't understand that's letting you know that that charger is not good for that item," said Warren Pughsley, fire inspector for the Lima Fire Department.
Pughsley also reminded students to keep their bedroom doors closed when they sleep, so if the smoke detector sounds, they can check if the door is hot before opening it to exit safely.
