Firefighters put out a fresh warning against charging your phone in bed, after a fire started in a home in Tyneside.
Last week a 999 call was made and fire crews from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) appeared in response to the blaze.
In the two-storey home in Whitley Bay, a fire broke out in a first-floor bedroom, which was later found to have been started by a charger that had been discarded on a bed, prompting it to overheat and ignite, Chronicle Live reports.
TWFRS prevention and education manager Karen Soady said: "Christmas is an exciting time and we often gift each other with electrical items. However, you need to take care when plugging them in and testing them out.
“We all can become overwhelmed around this time of the year – not least the electrical sockets in our homes. Anything with a heating element should be plugged into a wall and not an extension.
“You should also avoid cheaper alternatives to chargers as they aren’t subject to the same stringent fire safety tests as legitimate products.”
In addition, Karen reminded people to switch sockets off at the wall when they are not in use, and to check smoke detectors are in order, as "they are the first line of defence when it comes to fire".
Similarly, in November, a mother warned others about not leaving phone chargers plugged in overnight, after a fire destroyed her uninsured family home.
Donna Symes, 40, from Glasgow had been making dinner with her husband Mohamed at 8pm last night when the home fire alarm went off.
The singer ran upstairs to discover a fire had broken out in her 13-year-old son Kane's bedroom.
It started because a phone charger had been plugged in next to his bed.
The devastating event ended up obliterating most of the home and sentimental objects.
As she walked through her smoke-blackened house and surveyed the damage, Ms Symes filmed a heartbreaking video.
On Facebook, she explained the dangers of leaving plugs switched on, and also revealed that she has no home insurance to cover any of the damage costs.
The post read: "So I'm writing this from my hotel room - a fire broke out in Kane's room just after 8pm tonight.
"Started from a phone charger behind the bed.
"Three of us were downstairs sorting dinner and the smoke alarms went off.
"Our home is literally devastated. My boys room obliterated as you can see.
"Literally heartbroken."
"I don't want your sympathy but I do want people to check your smoke alarms, unplug your chargers, check they're not overheating and the one thing I never had - insure your homes.
"Take my advice please.
"We're safe."
