3 Actionable Steps to Undertake When Electrical Wiring Catches Fire
Electrical wiring must be properly maintained to ensure safety and to prevent fires in your home. Damaged or faulty wiring running through your home can easily cause home fires. While preventive measures are supremely important when it comes to protecting your home from an electrical fire, you should also know what to do when a fire erupts before an emergency electrician arrives. This guide is designed to help you undertake actionable steps when your electrical wiring catches fire.
Switch Off the Electrical Mains
If the fire ignites at an electrical wire, the first thing you should do is to cut the main power supply to the electrical system. If the source of the fire has not spread further, this step should be sufficient to extinguish it. Keep in mind that just turning off the switch at the wall isn't enough. You will need to cut electrical supply from the main switch to prevent current from flowing dangerously through the wires and spreading the electrical fire.
Put Off the Fire
Use a fire extinguisher to put off the fire as soon as you notice it in your home. If you don't have a fire extinguisher ready in your home, then you can use sand or dirt to put it off if you have quick access to them. You can also use salt to extinguish an electrical fire. Salt smothers the flame by minimising the level of oxygen it receives. Most fire extinguishers use salt in their extinguishing solution, so this ingredient will help to douse the fire. You can also use an inflammable coat or blanket to smother the fire. Keep it over the fire for a few minutes without lifting because this will smother the oxygen the fire needs to burn. Avoid using water on electrical fires because you could potentially get electrocuted.
Call an Emergency Electrician
Once you've got the fire under control, don't switch on your mains again until the emergency electrician arrives because you have no idea what caused the fire in the first place. It could be because of a short circuit, poor wiring, electrical fault or heavy load. The emergency electrician will arrive as soon as possible, so you don't have to wait for regular working hours to get the job done. Once the electrician assesses and fixes the problem, you can resume your normal life once again by turning on your electricity.
If you have to deal with an electrical fire, be sure to follow these steps and call the emergency electrician as soon as possible.