Overloaded extension cord causes fire – A case study
Melted insulation later of extension cord
Description of fire: The owner of the house uses an extension cord for the induction cooktop and electric rice cooker; one day a popping sound was created due to short-circuited electrical appliances, and smoke started billowing from the extension cord plug and it burst into flames, so he quickly put out the fire with a dry powder fire extinguishers, unplugged the extension cord and turned off the main switch. Precaution and preventive strategy: “Four Don’ts and One Never” of preventing electrical fire; 1. Don’t overload the electrical circuit – Don’t plug in multiple electrical appliances into the same socket or extension cord (particularly heating products) in order to prevent overloading the electrical cable or generating heat at the socket; 2. Don’t bend or damage the electrical cables – Pulling or tugging (causes internal fractures in electrical cables), squeezing or pinching (causes fraying of electrical cable insulation besides internal fractures) will cause a short circuit, therefore keeping a good habit will minimize damage to electrical cables; 3. Don’t place any flammable material – Don’t place flammable materials (paper, clothes) near all electrical appliances including heating devices or extension cords to prevent fire caused by materials coming in contact with heat, or to prevent the electrical fire from spreading; 4. Don’t plug in – Removing plugs of unused electrical products is to stop electrical fire at its source, and to avoid energy waste by conserving power, which constitutes 3-11% of total energy consumption; consequently, besides home appliances requiring power around the clock (such as refrigerator), all other unused appliances should be turned off or unplugged in order to save electricity expenditure and prevent fire, achieving multiple benefits at once; 5. Never purchase products without safety label – Familiarize yourself with product safety certification label, although price, functionality, and appearance are important factors to consider when purchasing electrical appliances, safety is of the utmost importance, therefore most electrical appliances should be tested and certified in accordance with safety-related regulations such as EMC (electromagnetic compatibility).