Electrical Fire | 4 Rapid Responsibilities If Your Home Encounters An Electrical Fire
Electricity is vital for everything you do, whether you're using it to cool the room or whether you need it to light up your home. But with the number of electrical appliances used today, there's a possibility than an electrical overload could cause a small electrical fire in your home. If this does occur, the important thing is to stay calm and take immediate action to prevent the fire from expanding before the electrician arrives.
Call Your Local Fire Department
The minute you see smoke, sparks or even a small fire near a wall or outlet, make sure you call your local fire department as quickly as possible. It's essential that they are on their way quickly to prevent your home from going up in flames. Make sure that you keep everyone away from the sparks or fire and evacuate your home if necessary in an orderly manner until the fire department arrives for everyone's safety.
Open The Main Electrical Circuit Box
Every home is different, but the main electrical circuit box is typically located in hallways, cupboards, garages, living rooms and even outside. Carefully open the circuit box and check that no smoke is coming from it. If you notice sparks or smoke coming from the main box, don't touch it because you could suffer from a shock. Just close it and leave your home until a professional arrives. If the circuit box looks undamaged, turn off all the switches inside to block the flow of electricity to your home.
Put Out A Small Fire If Possible
If the electrical fire looks small enough to tackle on your own, then use your home's fire extinguisher or an electrical blanket to put it out after you turn off the main circuit box, because no active current will now be passing through any appliances. Avoid using water to put off any electrical fires because it will only serve to trigger larger flames and more destruction. Electrical fires are best put off with extinguishers and blankets because they cut off oxygen supply to the fire to stifle its growth.
Get A Certified Electrician To Check The Damage
Once the fire department has gotten to your home or when things are calmer, be sure to get a qualified electrician to check your home's entire wiring system. An electrical fire may have started because of a faulty appliance or worn out wiring, so the electrician will need to assess every electrical component in your home before addressing the problem.
In the event of an electrical fire, follow these immediate responsibilities and make sure you get a qualified electrician who can tackle your complicated problem professionally.