Although Taiwan is hot for most of the year, winters can be quite chilly. Since most homes in Taiwan lack heaters, many people use electric mattress pads or blankets to stay warm at night. However, these appliances can present some dangers.
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Things got a little too hot in the bedroom when a fire suspected to have been caused by an electric heating pad burned through a mattress in northern Taiwan Wednesday. Heating pads and blankets are common in Taiwan where most homes lack heaters, but winters can be cold and wet.
Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, residents smelled smoke, with some evacuating their homes fearing a building fire. Smoke was seen coming from a third-floor apartment, owned by a 63 year old woman. The woman says she unplugged the electric pad before leaving the bedroom so is unsure why it began burning, but adds that this is not the first time it has happened. Luckily, first responders extinguished the fire and no one was harmed.
New Taipei City Fire Department’s Huang Chih-mien (黃雱勉) warns residents to make sure that electrical sockets are not wet or corroded, to not overload home circuits, not to bundle too many wires together, and to keep flammable objects away from electrical appliances.
While residents may want to stay warm using electric blankets, they should ensure that the products they buy have been properly certified. It’s unclear whether the pad in this case was certified, but the fire department is still investigating.