Seven Proper Steps to Handle an Electrical Fire
Fires can wreak havoc on your home unless they are quickly handled. Instead of panicking, you will want to act quickly to prevent any additional damages and put out the fire as soon as it is safe to do so. When you have an electrical fire in your home or business, you will want to take these steps to stay safe and put out the fire properly.
Call 911
Anytime there is a fire in your home or business, you should always call 911 to alert them of the electrical fire first. This will ensure that help is on the way.
Put Your Safety First
If you have a growing electrical fire in your home, you will want to take the right precautions to put your safety first. Check to make sure that there are at least two paths to exit the home safely, and then work to extinguish the fire with your fire extinguisher. If one of the paths becomes blocked, you should get out of there immediately.
Disconnect Your Electricity
You should also disconnect all of the electricity that runs towards the cause of the fire. This will mitigate any additional damage to your electronics. If you have safe access to your circuit breaker, turn off the electricity at the source. This will protect your home from suffering from a larger electrical fire.
Use Baking Soda When You Can
If the fire is small and contained, throw baking soda over the fire. Baking soda has Class C fire extinguishing chemicals that can prevent small fires from spreading. When an outlet or extension cord lights on fire, this is a suitable solution to prevent any spreading.
Avoid Water Unless Electricity is Off
It may be one of your first instincts to reach for a bucket of water or hose to put out a fire, but you'll want to avoid this with an electrical fire if the electricity has not been turned off yet. If you throw water on the fire, you risk getting shocked or electrocuted.
Be Proactive
Most electrical fires can actually be prevented by having routine electrical inspections. Our electrical contractors in Orlando, FL can come to your business or home to inspect for hazards and repair any electrical issues you may have. When you are proactive, you can prevent these fires from ever even occurring.
Call the Insurance Company
Once you have put out the fire and mitigated any further damage, you should call your insurance company to get the insurance process started. If you have extensive damage, you will want to receive compensation for any lost property. During this process, it is also helpful to call a public insurance claims adjuster in Hillsborough County to be your advocate.
These are some of the important steps you'll want to take to prevent any additional damage when you have an electrical fire. Electrical fires can cause extensive damage to your home and electronics, so you'll want to hire a public claims adjuster in Hillsborough County to assess damages and be your advocate through the claims process. Contact us to hear how we can help you today.
