HEIDELBERG, Germany - Hot commodities on the gift-giving market are turning into a hotter issue for safety officials.
Electronic charging units designed for use in motor vehicles for a variety of portable music players and other electronic gadgets have been identified as culprits responsible for vehicle fires.
"We received a safety alert that charger and converter units used to play or charge various electronic items may overheat if left plugged into a car power source resulting in a vehicle fire," said Mike Schwarz, Installation Management Command-Europe safety officer. "A good rule of thumb is to unplug these devices when they are not in use. That rule also applies to devices in the household: When not in use, unplug."
According to Schwarz, the safety alert described an incident involving a 2007 Chevy Suburban destroyed as a result of an electrical fire.
This fire resulted from leaving an I-phone charger/docking station plugged into the car outlet. The charger unit overheated and started a fire, while parked in a residential garage. The owners of the vehicle were very fortunate that they accidentally found the fire at 11 p.m. before going to bed and before it spread to the house. None of the garage heat detectors or house fire alarms had gone off.
"As these devices become more popular, it becomes more important for all of us to use common sense and be safety conscious," said Schwarz.
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