Fire ad warns of electrical risks

The advertising campaign runs for eight weeks

Homeowners are being warned about the risks of leaving electrical appliances on overnight or while they are out.

The Scottish Government advertising campaign highlights dangers posed by faulty washing machines or dishwashers.

Official 2006 figures showed almost half of all accidental house fires were caused by faulty appliances or misuse of electrical equipment.

Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said two families were victims of electrical fires every week.

The "Back to the Start" television, poster and online campaign will run for eight weeks.

The advert starts with scenes of a family being evacuated from their burning home.

We tend to take electricity for granted, forgetting that it's a potential killer if it's not treated with respect Lorraine Carney Electrical Safety Council

It then goes back to earlier in the evening when the mother is shown switching on the washing machine.

Mr Ewing said the service's increasing focus on fire safety and prevention had led to a fall in house fires. However, he warned there was no room for complacency.

"These effective efforts, backed by past campaigns, mean there's a greater public awareness of the main risks: of chip-pan fires; from cooking or smoking while under the influence of alcohol; and from overloading plug sockets," he said.

"The new campaign focuses on some of the other risks to our homes, in particular faulty electrical appliances."

Brian Sweeney, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue chief, highlighted the importance of having working smoke detectors and urged people not to run appliances while they were sleeping or out of the house.

Lorraine Carney, of the Electrical Safety Council, welcomed the campaign.

She added: "We tend to take electricity for granted, forgetting that it's a potential killer if it's not treated with respect."