Release date: 14 April 2026
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is warning people about the dangers of overloading plug sockets after crews attended a significant house fire in Chichester.
On Thursday (9 April) firefighters from Bognor Regis and Chichester responded to a bedroom fire in Bridge Road, and an investigation has revealed it was caused by an electrical fault, most likely due to overloaded plug sockets.
After receiving a 999 call, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the heavily smoke-logged property and safely extinguished the first-floor fire. Group Manager Pete Sadler said: “The quick actions of our firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to the roof space and causing greater damage.”
Three people evacuated the property prior to the arrival of firefighters and were treated for minor smoke inhalation by South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Head of Prevention Nathan Cross added: “Over half of all accidental dwelling fires in the country are caused by electrical items, and with the use of electrical items continually on the rise, we all have a part to play in preventing fires from happening within our homes.
“However, the most important thing you can do to keep your household safe is to fit working smoke alarms on each floor. You are ten times more likely to die in a fire in the home if there is no working smoke alarm, so to say it’s a life-saving piece of equipment would be an understatement.”
Top electrical fire safety tips:
· Do not overload plug sockets.
· Don’t leave items on charge unattended and only charge items on hard surfaces away from flammable items. For example: do not charge items on beds or carpets.
· Make sure you are using registered products and manufacturers charging leads/products.
· Never overload an extension lead by plugging in too many appliances. This could cause the plug on the wall socket to overheat and start a fire.
· Only use one socket extension lead per socket and never plug one extension lead into another.
If you’re unsure whether your plug sockets are overloaded, you can use the socket calculator on our website to check.