If you’ve ever plugged one extension cord into another to stretch across a room, you’re far from alone, but electricians say this common shortcut is causing a surge in preventable house fires across the South. While it’s not “newly illegal” under state law, daisy-chaining extension cords does violate OSHA and National Electrical Code (NEC) safety standards, and fire marshals in multiple Southern states are stepping up warnings. With older homes, high humidity, and heavy appliance use, the South sees a disproportionate number of electrical fires each year. Homeowners who rely on temporary wiring as a permanent solution are especially at risk. Here’s what experts want you to know before a simple shortcut sparks a disaster.
