Laptop catches fire while charging

Laptop owners have been warned not to leave their devices on charge after a computer caught fire in a house in Falkirk. Picture: Getty

Firefighters found a “well-developed” blaze in a bedroom when they arrived on the scene in Gairdock Drive, Falkirk, yesterday lunchtime.

Three fire crews extinguished the blaze.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service urged people not to leave laptops charging unattended.

Watch manager Mike Fitches said: “The fire was caused by an overheated laptop which had been left charging.

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“The fire has caused extensive damage to the bedroom and some damage to the first floor. Thankfully no-one was at home at the time of the fire and we were alerted by workmen who were outside another house in the area.

“This incident had the potential to be even more serious and we can’t stress enough how important it is to unplug any chargers before you go out.

“We would also urge everyone to ensure they have a working smoke alarm inside their property. We provide free home fire safety visits, including the fitting of smoke alarms where required.”

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