FIREFIGHTERS are urging residents to take care when using electrical devices and appliances after five house fires over the weekend.

On Monday a laptop charger burst into flames in Urmston after it overheated while left switched on unsupervised on a sofa.

Fire crews from Sale and Eccles rushed to scene and spent an over two and a half hours battling the blaze and ventilating the home.

Over the next two days crews from across Greater Manchester attended similar fires in Radcliffe, Leigh, Droylsden, and Wigan.

Damian O’Rourke, Head of Prevention at GMFRS said: “Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured in these incidents but it is a timely reminder of how dangerous electrical appliances can be when left unattended.

“There are many different precautions people can take to minimise the risk of an electrical appliance fire and they need to be monitored regularly.

“Just because there is no flame, does not mean there is no risk of fire.”

To minimise the risk of a fire you should:

• Switch off appliances at the socket when not in use and when you go out or go to bed, unless they are designed to be left on, like freezers.

• Be aware of what you are charging, where it is and how long it has been on charge

• Check you are not overloading plug sockets

• Do not use chargers or electrical items in areas of the home where they can easily heat up, for example under pillows, under bedding or sofas and cushions.