How to Handle an Electrical Fire
You probably have an idea how to put out a campfire, perhaps even a grease fire; but living in the Lakeland area we are faced with electrical fires. The electrical fires can range in type from lightning strikes, to overloaded old wiring and circuit boxes. It’s important to know how to deal with the fire quickly and safely before it becomes an issue.
Don’t be a Hero.
If an electrical fire in your home or place of work grows too fast, don’t try and put it out yourself. Always put your safety, and the safety of your loved ones first. Call 911 and let the fire department handle it. Be sure to let the 911 operator know that the fire is electrical in nature.
Putting out an Electrical Fire.
If you can put out an electrical fire when it first starts, you can go a long way from keeping your home or business from burning down. The key is to know how to approach an electrical fire without hurting yourself or making the fire worse. If you follow these tips when the electrical fire first starts, then you should be safe.
Turn Off the Power.
The first step is to disconnect the electricity from the source if you see or smell smoke. It cannot be stressed enough, never use water on an electrical fire that is still live. Water is a strong conductor of electricity, and if you use it on the fire, you are creating a direct line for you to be shocked. If electronics or an appliance is the cause, unplug the item right away. By disconnecting the source of the potential fire, you will lessen the chance that the fire will start or spread. Next, you need to deal with the cause of fire itself. If you can’t unplug the source, you’ll need to turn off the electricity at the electrical panel. Don’t waste time trying to locate the individual breaker for the cause of the fire; just turn off all the electricity. Once the power is off, you can safely deal with the source of the fire.
What to Use to Put out Electrical Fires.
Always call 911 FIRST. If you have a small electrical fire, baking soda is the recommended way to extinguish the flames. If the fire is too large, a fire extinguisher or a bucket of sand can put it out, and as a last resort, you can use water to douse the flames as long as the power is completely shut off. Keeping a fire extinguisher handy is a good idea if you don’t have one, fire blankets will also work but are not as quick as the other options.
If you are in the Lakeland, Kissimmee, and Clermont areas, and you are worried about old wiring or an electrical panel starting a fire, let Dynamic R.I.C. Electric replace them in your home or business. Call 863-333-0762 or fill out our online contact form, one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff members will be happy to discuss making your business and/or home safer.