This Common Household Item Sparked A House Fire In Long Valley, Officials Say

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Long Valley Fire Company No.1 officials have announced the cause of a fire that scorched a bedroom a few weeks ago.

Several weeks ago, the fire company responded to reports of a fire in the Schooley’s Mountain section of town.

Fire officials arrived at the residence, which appeared to be unharmed from the outside. First responders told police that the fire had already been extinguished.

When officials inspected the home, they found that an upstairs bedroom had been “blackened,” with its king-sized bed scorched. Other damage to the bedroom included broken windows, burnt walls and ceiling, as well as melted smoke detectors.

The residents had been out of the home for more than seven hours as the master bedroom blaze raged on, officials said.

According to authorities, the fire was caused by a power strip with “several electronic devices charging” that was left on the bed.

A study from the Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that more than 3,300 home fires originate from power strips and extension cords each year. These fires kill roughly 50 people annually, and injure nearly 300 more.

See power strip safety tips, provided by Electrical Safety Foundation International, below:

• "Don’t attempt to plug extension cords into one another
• Make sure extension cords are properly rated for their intended use, indoor or outdoor, and meet or exceed the power needs of the device being used
• Keep all outdoor extension cords clear of snow and standing water
• Do NOT overload extension cords
• Heavy reliance on extension cords is an indication that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Have additional outlets installed where you need them
• Inspect cords for damage before use. Check for cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections
• Do NOT nail or staple extension cords to walls or baseboards
• Do NOT run extension cords through walls, doorways, ceilings, or floors. If a cord is covered, heat cannot escape, which may result in a fire hazard
• Never use three-prong plugs with outlets that only have two slots. Never cut off the ground pin to force a fit, which could lead to electric shock
• Buy only cords that have been approved by an independent testing laboratory
• Do NOT substitute extension cords for permanent wiring
• Do NOT use an extension cord or power strip with heaters or fans, which could cause cords to overheat and result in a fire"