A fire at an Auckland home believed to have been caused by a phone being charged has prompted a warning from Fire and Emergency about the dangers of cheap cables.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told the NZ Herald a cord being used to recharge a phone had been placed on soft material in a Greenhithe house when it overheated and caught fire on November 23.
An internal investigation has reportedly been launched by discount online retailer Temu.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand risk reduction and investigations manager Peter Gallagher told Breakfast that similar incidents were not uncommon.
Fire and Emergency’s Peter Gallagher speaks to Breakfast following a house fire sparked by charging a phone. (Source: Breakfast)
“They are becoming more common. We’re seeing a rise in events caused by not only charging but generally mishandling of these high energy batteries.”
Gallagher said a charger might fit the device but cautioned this may not provide the correct amount of power for the device — which could lead to overheating.
He said the best charger to use was “always the one that comes with the device when you purchase it”.
“There are a variety of chargers available that use standard connections, so you pick up a charger, it fits the device and away you go.
Gallagher shared his top tips to keep your devices safe from sparks.
“With modern lithium batteries and the power they pack, you’ve got to use the correct charger for that kind of battery.
“What you need to do is check the charger is actually providing the correct amount of power for the device. Make sure you’re observing the battery when it’s under charge, or unplug when it when it’s finished charging.”
He said unplugging would also lengthen the life of the battery — helping get more value from the device — and ensure the device was resting on a “hard, flat surface” whilst charging, allowing heat to disperse if it did overheat.
Gallagher’s final tip was to ensure the room was fitted with a working smoke alarm.
He said all chargers get warm, but should never get “too hot to touch”.
“If you can’t even hold it there for 10 seconds, it needs to be unplugged and destroyed.”
