All You Need To Know About Electrical Fire: A Quick Guide

January 30, 2025
9 Min Read

Key takeaways

Electrical fires are deadly – They destroy homes and lives. Don’t wait for disaster.
Prevention is simple – Check wiring, avoid overloaded outlets, and use appliances safely.
Act fast – Cut power, use a Class C extinguisher, and evacuate if needed.
Never use water – It spreads the fire.
Stay prepared – Safety today prevents tragedy tomorrow.

Electrical hazards can occur at any time. If they turn into a devastating fire accident, it is very difficult to reverse the damages and the lives lost. Hence, it is very important to take proper precautionary steps to ensure adequate electrical safety when installing electrical systems or equipment.

The first and foremost priority for any professional while system or equipment installation or repair is to avoid potential electrical hazards by following proper electrical safety rules. Not only that, but it also helps you avoid getting an electric shock while testing or repairing faulty electrical equipment.

When we talk about electrical hazards in the workplace, the probability of catching an electrical fire is the highest. With messy electrical wires on the floor all attached to multiple extension cords, the chances of short circuits increase more than average.

In this post, we will explain how and why electrical fires occur, the main electrical hazards that cause troubles, how to avoid electrical hazards, and how to reduce the risk of such fires in daily life.

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What Is The Main Cause Of Electrical Fire?

Before we discuss some common electrical hazards, let’s first understand what an electrical hazard is and why we should care about it.

What Are Electrical Hazards?

Electrical hazards are potential problems caused by electrical systems or equipment, faulty wiring, or connection errors. They occur when proper electrical safety tips are not followed.

The main types of electrical hazards include:

Shock and burns
Electrical fire or explosion
Electrocution
Equipment burning to faulty wirings
Injuries caused by electrical component failure

All these hazards prove to be immensely dangerous, and some can be nearly fatal. Damages and deaths caused by electrical fires and explosions are some of the impactful potential risks that must be prevented at all costs.

How To Eliminate These Electrical Hazards?

Electrical hazards can occur easily. Minor carelessness or overlooking critical aspects during an installation or repair activity can cause such significant damage that it will destroy your property, assets, and the occupants nearby.

To prevent such problems from arising, it is necessary to ensure that proper precautionary measures have been taken and that best practices for dealing with unexpected electrical hazards have been incorporated.

Working with and around electrical equipment and components like wiring and circuit breakers can be dangerous. However, it can be made safer if workers and technicians are prepared in advance, identify possible hazards, and plan and take measures to control them so that the impact is less harmful.

That is why electrical safety rules must be followed when working with electrical equipment, components, and wiring – which we will cover in the later sections of this post.

But before we discuss how to eliminate hazards and fires caused by electrical units, let’s first understand what precautionary steps we can take to avoid such a situation.

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How To Prevent An Electrical Fire - Tips You Need To Keep Handy

Basic electrical safety means taking proper steps to prevent and avoid all circumstances of an electrical fire. These steps are more manageable and less harmful than trying to mitigate an already-blazing fire.

Step number one? It is to follow electrical safety rules. Here are some basic steps that you must take to foolproof your space from electrical hazards.

Inspect Electrical Equipment

Call a qualified electrician and have your electrical parts tested, such as electrical circuits, power cords, hot outlets, overhead lines, and power supplies. Also, ask them to check your electrical load and look for exposed electrical parts that can cause problems later on, along with damaged insulation, if found. This can help you stay in peace and avoid severe electrical incidents and electrical injuries.

Use Electrical Components As Per Their Power Capacity

If a particular component requires a particular amount of energy to pass through it, you need to ensure that the energy passed stays constant and is enough to make the electrical component work according to its functionality.

For instance, a lamp light holder is recommended to have a wattage of 10. This means you will need to purchase a bulb with 10 watts to ensure stable electrical flow and power emission according to its full potential and capacity.

Enable Child Precautions

If you are staying with a child, you definitely need to foolproof all electrical equipment in the house to ensure their complete safety. Even if the institution has occupants under 10 or teenage children, you must take hardcore steps to safeguard all components. This helps prevent sudden electrocution and provides an extra layer of protection.

Proper Use Of Extension Chords

If you use extension cords, do so only for temporary reasons or for lightweight electrical equipment. Do not try to plug your heating or cooling devices into an extension cord. Improper use of extension cords can cause power lines to fluctuate, resulting in sparks followed by wires and plastic components burning.

Beware Of Overload Outlets And Wire Issues

Overloaded outlets and faulty wirings are increasingly becoming hazards in the workplace, as well as in your homes.

In a 2021 report, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimated that electric receptacles caused an average of 2,400 fires due to electric receptacles and switches between 2016 and 2018. These fires caused approximately 10 deaths, 80 injuries, and over $55 million in property loss.

Not just outlets but also frayed wires. If you notice wires getting damaged or frayed, make sure to call an electrical professional to get the issue fixed as soon as possible.

Look For Warning Signs And Smell

Always keep an eye out for visual issues or damages that can be seen externally. If you smell something burning or like a fishy smell, it could mean that your electrical equipment or wire has produced sparks, is about to burn, or has already burnt.

Hence, always observe for any warning signs and be attentive to any smell emitted from it.

Contact Professionals

For emergencies or any immediate assistance, it’s always better to call an electrician or a certified professional who can suggest accurate methods to mitigate any issues that may occur. A technician can help you solve your problem at a prompt and also help you find out more violations that can be the cause of destructive electrical hazards. Not only helps you save lives and property but also helps you stay compliant with the updated standards and regulations for electrical safety.

What's The First Thing To Do During An Electrical Fire?

If your residence or commercial property has caught an electrical fire, the first and foremost thing you should do is cut off the power supply immediately.

Now, when we talk about cutting off the power supply, do not reach for the cords and wires, as this can be dangerous. Instead, reach directly for the main power box or the breaker box and flip the switch for that particular room. The best option is to turn off all the switches in case the fire decides to move to the other room.

Once you have switched off the main power, you can cut off all power lines. Then, grab your fire extinguisher ( C type, as it is built for electrical fires) and spread it throughout the entire region.

If you see the fire becoming uncontrollable, get out of the building as soon as possible. No matter how valuable the things you leave behind in the fire are, they are not worth your life. Hence, look to see if the fire can be smothered and if not, stay prepared to help yourself and others out of the building.

What NOT TO DO In An Electrical Fire?

When faced with an electrical fire, NEVER THROW WATER ON IT!

Do not ever throw water on an electrical fire.

Throwing water on an electrical fire will not mitigate it; in fact, it can even worsen the situation. In simple scientific language, water is a good conductor of electricity. This is why if you’re trying to mitigate a fire caused by an electrical malfunction, pouring water over it will not solve the problem; the fire will spread and increase with the splash of water.

Conclusion

Handling electrical hazards and fires is not a child’s job. Even if you have some knowledge of fires, it is always better to call a professional immediately and have the situation handled.

In case you are trying to mitigate an electrical fire, make sure all individuals and occupants are evacuated from the building first.

Keeping protective equipment handy, such as ABC or C-type fire extinguishers, dust powders (which can prove effective in emergency situations), and non-conductive materials such as rubber gloves, can go a long way in keeping you safe and preventing the spread of fire.

Lastly, preventing a fire is more manageable, better, and less destructive than dealing with it. Hence, take proper precautionary steps when setting up your electrical systems, whether during installation or repair. Also, always inspect your fire extinguishers to avoid malfunction during emergencies.