A fire officer is warning residents about the dangers of leaving items charging unattended following an incident in Sealand this morning (Thursday 28^th May)

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to a report of fire at a property on East Green, Sealand at 11.06am. Appliances from Deeside and Buckley attended the incident and used two sets of breathing apparatus and hose reel jets to tackle the fire.

A young woman was taken to hospital and there was heavy smoke damage to the bedroom and light smoke damage to the hallway of the property.

The cause of the fire is believed to be the charger of a hover board.

Jane Honey, Community Safety Manager, said:

“The occupiers of the property were fortunate that the incident occurred during the day and they were able to escape from the property. It may have been very different if it had occurred at night, when they were asleep. A working smoke alarm operated and alerted them to the fire.

“Please follow our advice when charging devices.”

• Always use the charger that came with your item.
• If you need to buy a replacement, always choose a branded, genuine product from a supplier you can trust. There are lots of fakes out there, and it can be difficult to spot the difference.
• Avoid storing, using or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures.
  
  
• Protect batteries against being crushed, punctured or immersed in water.
  
  
• Don’t leave itemscontinuously on charge after the charge cycle is complete – it's best not to leave item charging overnight.

• Never cover chargers or charging devices.
• Don't overload your sockets.

• Install and maintain a smoke alarm - when a fire starts, you only have a few minutes to escape. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and dial 999.

• It’s also vital to ensure that you have a planned and practiced escape route, which is clear and free of obstacles, which allows you to get out of your home quickly and safely should a fire occur.