Boardman fire officials urge caution in use of extension cords on fans, ac units

BOARDMAN

Local safety officials are reminding residents to beware of electrical fires as they use air condition units and fans to beat the heat.

“If you have to [use] an extension cord, we recommend one with a breaker bar and make sure the gauge of the wire is big enough to handle the unit,” said Boardman Fire Chief George Brown.

Boardman firefighters responded to a house fire on Wildwood Drive at about 1:30 a.m. July 9 that originated with an extension cord connected to a window air conditioning unit, Brown said.

The fire caused about $6,000 worth of damage and an occupant told firefighters that the breaker the air conditioner was on tripped around midnight when the family went to bed, according to reports.

“If a breaker’s blowing, it’s blowing for a reason. [The family] just kept re-setting it. What happens is it continues to heat up the wire and is normally too much of a draw on a circuit for a unit,” Brown said.

He said residents should use extension cords that are the same or bigger diameter as the cord that they connect to.

“It should not be less than the other,” Brown said.