J&K Fire & Emergency Department Issues Shocking Advisory on Electric Blankets
Srinagar, Dec 4: Fire and Emergency Services officials have warned that the increasing use of poor-quality electric blankets has become one of the leading causes of house fires across Kashmir this winter. Several districts, including Srinagar, have reported a rise in fire incidents in recent weeks, many of which have been linked directly to faulty heating blankets.
Officials told Kashmir News Trust that in multiple recent cases, investigations at fire sites showed that low-grade electric blankets had overheated and sparked flames. They said prolonged use, cheap wiring and lack of built-in safety features are turning these products into dangerous fire hazards inside homes.
“One of the biggest problems is that people leave electric blankets on for long hours or even the whole night,” a senior fire official said. “When the blanket is made with poor-quality material, the internal heating plates overheat, the insulation becomes weak, and the blanket itself starts the fire.”
The department has advised families to use electric blankets only to pre-warm beds and then switch them off completely. Officials said even good-quality blankets should not be kept on for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
According to them, many blankets available in local markets are assembled with inferior grade wires and poor insulation that cannot withstand repeated high temperatures. Voltage fluctuations, old household wiring and absence of automatic cutoff systems make the situation even more dangerous.
“When the wiring inside starts heating unevenly, the outer cloth gradually dries out and becomes brittle,” another official explained. “This leads to sparking and in many cases the fabric bursts into flames.”
Spot inspections conducted after recent fire incidents in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley found several houses where the electric blanket was still plugged in even after the fire had spread.
Officials urged the public to immediately stop using any blanket that emits a burning smell, heats irregularly or shows exposed wires. They also cautioned against folding electric blankets tightly, placing heavy objects on them or using them on damp mattresses, as these practices damage internal circuits and increase the risk of fire.
As temperatures continue to fall, Fire and Emergency Services has appealed to people to stay alert and follow safety guidelines to avoid loss of life and property.
