By Steve Graham, Networx Home electrical fires kill 310 people
and injure more than 1,100 each year, according to the U.S. Fire
Administration. This includes both electrical system failures
and a large number of homeowner errors, including overloading
circuits or extension cords. Many fires can be avoided with
proper safety precautions. In other cases, safety equipment and
proper planning can keep malfunctions from turning into deadly
tragedies. Here are five deadly, high-profile electrical fires,
and the lessons that can be learned from each incident. 1. Make
an Evacuation Plan In 2009, an electrical fault in an old
portable television started a fire in a London apartment
building that killed six people. The fire started on the ninth
floor, but all the victims lived on the 11th floor. More than 30
other people were rescued. Surviving residents complained the
apartment building was designed like a complicated maze. A
difficult layout is all the more reason to study, plan and
practice an evacuation route from