Electric blankets, heaters and fairy lights: what is risky and what a lead really takes

This is the month when electric blankets, portable heaters and fairy lights all go into the sockets at once. Here is what the official fire figures and the fire services' own rules say is actually dangerous.

Electric blankets: a five-year high

The charity Electrical Safety First analysed government fire data for England. The result: 31 accidental fires involving electric blankets in 2024-25.

That is the highest figure in five years. The year before there were 25, a rise of 24%. Those fires produced 11 casualties and fatalities.

Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at the charity, explains why a blanket is riskier than many appliances: it is usually right up against the person using it.

What to check before switching one on

Inspect it for wear — especially if it has been in storage all summer.

Warning signs: scorch marks or discolouration, frayed or exposed wires, and rodent damage to the mains cable.

The rules for use are short. Never switch it on folded or creased. Do not leave it on overnight unless it has automatic shut-off — otherwise switch it off before bed. Never use it with a hot water bottle: that risks electric shock. A blanket more than ten years old is worth replacing. Store it rolled rather than folded: creases break the internal wiring.

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Buy from a trusted retailer, preferably with automatic shut-off and overheat protection.

Heaters: one rule above the rest

Do not run a portable heater off an extension lead. It overloads one easily.

The rest: keep it away from anything flammable, stand it on a flat surface, and never leave it running overnight.

What an extension lead actually takes

This is where most mistakes happen. Extension leads are usually rated at 13 amps, but older models and many cable reels are 10 amps or less.

The rating is marked on the casing: on the front for cable reels, on the back or underside for extension leads.

Two prohibitions. Do not plug appliances into one lead that together exceed its rating. And do not plug an extension lead into another extension lead — the plug in the wall socket overheats.

On cable reels specifically: they should have a thermal cut-out, and they must be fully unwound. Wound up, the permitted current falls to as little as 3 or 4 amps — less than a single kettle draws.

When to pull the plug immediately

Do not ignore: burn marks, buzzing or crackling, fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping, or a socket or plug that is hot to the touch.

There is one action: unplug it and contact the retailer, the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician.

Fairy lights and decorations

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service states plainly that it attends house fires caused by fairy lights every year — and not only on trees: they are wrapped around stair railings and draped across walls.

The rules: buy from a reputable supplier; check they work and replace any blown bulbs; unplug them when you leave the house or go to bed; remember bulbs get very hot and keep them off paper and fabric; make sure the fuse in the plug is the correct rating; and use a multi-socket adaptor with a fuse and surge protection for several appliances.

On the decorations themselves: tissue paper and card burn easily. Do not attach decorations to lights or heaters, do not place them near candles, and do not hang them above or around the fireplace.

Two things that protect you once it has gone wrong

The first is an RCD in the consumer unit. If you do not have one, an RCD plug can go in the socket the appliance uses.

The second is at least one smoke or heat alarm per floor. Test them at least monthly, and replace them every ten years or by the replace-by date on the casing.

Check whether your appliance has been recalled

The Office for Product Safety and Standards keeps an open list of recalls and alerts. You can search it for your model and subscribe to email updates when new entries are added.

It carries three kinds of entry: product recalls, where you need to obtain a free replacement, repair or refund; product safety reports, where measures other than a recall have been taken; and product safety alerts, where a risk of serious injury applies to a whole category of goods.