Date: 27th April, 2020
Businesses and residents are being reminded of the importance of always unwinding extension cables, following a recent fire.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to an industrial unit in Radway Road, Stratton St Margaret at 4.45am on 15 April after smoke was seen. Four fire engines – two from Stratton and two from Swindon – attended, along with the aerial ladder platform from Swindon.
Station Manager Darren Nixon said: “Following a thorough investigation, we determined that the fire started in an extension cable reel, which had been left on with a quantity of cable still wound on the drum. When power flows through an electrical cable, some heat is always generated in the cable, but this heat generally dissipates into the air. If the reel is left coiled during use, the heat generated in the cable may not dissipate and can start to build up. This in turn can melt the outer insulation of the cable and the insulation on the cores.”
He added: “When this happens, as well as the risk of fire, the earth cores and neutral cores become electrically live, and this creates a very serious risk of electrocution for anyone using an appliance fed through the reel. Our advice is to always unwind cables fully, even if you only need to cover a short distance, and to switch off the power supply whenever it is not needed.”
Ventilation fans were used to clear the smoke from the affected unit, and adjacent premises were also checked to ensure they were safe to use.