Charging tablet burns hole through bed of sleeping 11-year-old
An 11-year-old boy woke to a room “covered in a layer of black soot” after a charging tablet burned through his bed.
The fire department was called to the boy’s home in Staffordshire in England’s West Midlands on Thursday morning.
The tablet was four years old and had been plugged in to charge since 9pm Wednesday but became hot.
The hot tablet burned “through bedding and the mattress down to the springs”, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Services said.
The boy woke in the morning to a hole in his bed and his room “covered in a layer of black soot”.
“Fortunately for the family, it did not develop into a full fire but had smouldered throughout the night,” the fire department said.
Firefighter Brad Robins said the family was “greatly shocked”.
“It serves as a stark reminder not to leave items charging on materials that could catch fire when hot,” he said.
How to charge devices safely
“Always place phones and tablets on to a safe surface when charging. Make sure you buy genuine chargers for your items and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure to register your product in case there is a product recall.”
He also installed smoke alarms in the home as there weren’t any. He added people need to ensure they check their smoke alarms regularly.
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