AN Ottery St Mary flat-blaze has sparked a laptop warning from fire-fighters.
AN Ottery St Mary flat-blaze has sparked a laptop warning from fire-fighters.
A Mossop Close resident had to flee her flat in the early hours of last Wednesday after her laptop, which had been left to charge on her lounge floor, overheated and caught fire.
The flat's occupant was woken by a smoke alarm and managed to escape as fire-fighters donned breathing apparatus to tackle the fire.
A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue issued a warning to residents over laptops' fire-risk and said: "It is very important that laptops are always used on a hard surface, so that the cooling fan located underneath the lap top can control the temperature.
"If a lap top is used on a carpeted floor or on a bed or other soft furnishing, then the cooling fan inlet can easily become blocked and the device can rapidly overheat.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here