Child's bedroom fire sparks battery safety warning

A cordless battery drill being charged on a bed overheated, the fire service says

A fire service has warned against charging batteries on flammable surfaces after a child's bedroom was gutted in a blaze.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service said a cordless drill left overnight to charge on a bed in Attleborough caught alight last week, leaving a family temporarily homeless.

No-one was in the room at the time and no-one was injured, the service confirmed.

Earlier this month, firefighters warned people to buy electrical goods from reputable retailers after a house fire in Bowthorpe, Norwich.

The fire broke out on Saxon Heath Close at about 04:00 BST on Friday.

Terry Pinto, group manager for prevention at the brigade, described fires caused by lithium-ion batteries as a "national issue".

"It's a growing problem as we're all guilty of having more and more electrical devices in our homes," he said.

"The fire in Attleborough had a huge impact on the family as the upstairs of their home is now uninhabitable.

"[The family] is being relocated and having to stay a long, long way away from their home and a long, long way away from family connections and support networks, which is making getting to work and childcare more difficult."

'Charge batteries when you're awake'

Lithium-ion batteries are often found in e-bikes, e-scooters, tools, mobile phones and laptops.

According to figures published by the business insurer QBE, which submitted Freedom of Information requests to all UK fire services, fires linked to the batteries rose 46% last year to 921 incidents.

Mr Pinto said batteries should only be charged on hard surfaces, such as floors, kitchen worktops and tables.

"We'd also like you to charge batteries when you're awake so you're able to react if the device starts to fail and you're able to get out of the property safely," he added.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service said the family in Attleborough had been well prepared for a fire, including having working smoke alarms and closing doors at bedtime to contain the blaze.

Additional lithium-ion battery safety advice can be found here.