Shoreham iPod charger fire sparks warning

Firefighters helped to rescue and elderly couple from Porchester

A warning has been issued over buying cheap electrical products after a counterfeit iPod charger caught fire in a house in Shoreham.

Firefighters were last month called to a property in Shoreham when a charger, which had been purchased cheaply online, ignited, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said.

The back of the unsafe charger exploded, scorching the socket and tripping out the electricity.

No one was injured in the incident, but at the start of Electrical Fire Safety Week, the fire service and Trading Standards have teamed up to highlight the risks of unwittingly buying counterfeit electrical goods.

Community fire safety manager for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Jackie Boyle, said: “We have seen an increase in the number of fires involving cheap, non-branded electrical products.

“We all like a bargain, but when it comes to electrical goods, if the price looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

“It’s not worth putting your own safety or family’s safety at risk just to save a few pounds.

“With Christmas approaching we’d urge people to steer clear of the dodgy fakes.