They say there have been a number of fires in airing cupboards over the last few years and say you should keep a look out for these signs of a problem with your immersion heater:
Excessively hot water coming out of the taps
Excessive noise or bubbling from the hot water cylinder
Hot water coming out of certain cold water taps
Steam or condensation in the roof space
Unusual heat on the sides of the cold water cistern (tank) in the loft
Discoloration (brown or yellow staining) to the electrical plates or cables or switches
It was a busy day for crews who had already been called out earlier to a fire caused by a tumble drier and were then called out again to a road crash.
Crew Commander Craig Channing said: “Due to the Fire and Rescue Service being involved with simultaneous incidents, the Service was severely stretched in having to deal with two, potentially serious fires at the same time.
“During incidents like these, the Service heavily relies upon our “On Call” part time Firefighters to assist their Whole time colleagues, who without their support, would be severely stretched in being able to respond to spate calls.”
The Fire Service say if you’ve got any concerns or have noticed a problem with your immersion heater, get a qualified electrician to give it a proper check.
(Picture credit: Jersey Fire & Rescue)