Electrical Appliances
Electrical appliances have firmly entered our lives. Today, we cannot even imagine how we used to manage without electric kettles, microwave ovens, washing machines, and other household appliances that make our daily lives easier.
However, few people consider that if the rules of operation are violated, household appliances, as well as any other electrical devices, can become the cause of a fire. Another issue is the condition of the electrical wiring in the house or apartment. While equipping their homes with various household appliances, many forget that the wiring has long outlived its usefulness and is not designed for such a number of electrical consumers. Instead of replacing the wiring, we replace fuses with more powerful ones, without thinking about the consequences.
On July 8 at 23:50, the operational management center of the Tolochin Emergency Situations Department received a report from a citizen about a house fire in the village of Piamont on Central Street. Upon arrival at the scene, the emergency services observed an open flame in the wooden house. The owner, born in 1956, a pensioner, was in the house at the time of the fire. She left the house on her own. She sustained 1st and 2nd degree burns to both hands (12% of her body). She was hospitalized in a medical facility by an ambulance team. As a result of the fire, the roof, ceiling, and property in the house were destroyed, and the walls were damaged. The external wall of the adjacent utility room was also damaged. The cause of the fire is being established. The considered version of the cause of the fire is a violation of the rules for the operation of electrical networks and electrical equipment.
On July 27 at around 11 PM, a report of a fire in a bathhouse on Sunny Street in the village of Chertsy, Lepel District, was received by the 101 hotline. Upon arrival at the scene, rescuers observed an open flame in the bathhouse. Emergency workers found the charred body of the owner (born in 1955) on the floor in the waiting area. According to his son, the deceased was staying overnight in the bathhouse because it was hot in the house. As a result of the fire, the roof, walls, and ceiling of the bathhouse were damaged. The cause of the fire is being established. The considered versions are careless handling of fire while smoking by the deceased; violation of the rules for the operation of electrical networks and electrical equipment (short circuit of the wiring).
On the afternoon of November 4, rescuers received a report of a fire in an apartment on Chkalov Street in Vitebsk. Upon approaching the scene, rescuers were met by eyewitnesses of the fire, waving their hands and indicating that the apartment was burning from the back of the house. Setting up a ladder at the window of the burning apartment and extending a hose line, firefighters began extinguishing the fire. At the same time, rescuers ascended to the ninth floor. On the landing, they saw an elderly woman, the owner of the apartment, who, upon discovering the fire, had exited on her own. The emergency workers assisted the woman in descending to the sixth floor and handed her over to medical personnel; they also helped evacuate a grandmother and granddaughter who lived in the neighboring apartment, bringing them to fresh air using a self-rescue mask. The owner of the apartment was examined by the ambulance team and found to have burns on her face and hands (10% of her body) and was taken to a medical facility. The emergency workers extinguished the fire – in the apartment, property was damaged in the living room, and the walls and ceiling were sooted. The cause of the fire is being established. The considered version is a violation of the rules for the operation of electrical networks and electrical equipment.
On the morning of November 15, a report of a fire in an apartment on Central Street in the agro-town of Bliznitsa, Polotsk District, was received by the 101 hotline. The emergency services of Polotsk responded immediately. Upon arrival at the scene, smoke was observed in a one-room apartment located on the first floor. The owner, born in 1950, a pensioner, was in the apartment at the time of the fire and left after discovering the fire. After examination by the ambulance team, he was hospitalized with 1st and 2nd degree burns (60% of his body). The emergency workers extinguished the fire: property was damaged in the apartment. The cause of the fire is being established. The considered version is a violation of the rules for the operation of electrical networks and electrical equipment.
Careless operation of electrical appliances can lead to fire, burns, and even fatal outcomes. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to follow simple rules for the safe use of electrical appliances in everyday life.
1. Use electrical appliances while following the safety rules specified in the manufacturer's instructions, and carry out their repairs in a timely manner. Trust the installation and repair of electrical appliances only to professionals.
2. Do not plug in a large number of electrical appliances at the same time. This can lead to network overload. Additionally, do not plug many electrical appliances into one outlet, as it may catch fire due to overload.
3. Do not use electrical devices while in water. Do not plug the electrical appliance into the outlet and do not touch working electrical appliances with wet hands or a damp cloth. It is advisable to use a hairdryer and electric shaver outside the bathroom.
4. Always follow the order of connecting electrical devices to the network: connect the cord to the appliance first, and only then to the network. Disconnection occurs in the reverse order. Do not pull the plug out of the socket by tugging on the cord.
5. Do not hang clothes to dry on electric heating appliances and electrical wiring.
6. When cooking on an electric stove, do not check the heating level of the burner by touching it with your palm.
7. Do not hang electrical appliance cords over water pipes and gas pipes, or over heating radiators. View all