Official websites use .mass.gov
A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. Saa Standard
Secure websites use HTTPS certificate
A lock icon ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the official website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
We are testing UserWay, a tool that will let you change color contrast and other visual styles. Click the button below to open the settings.
Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state
We are testing UserWay, a tool that will let you change color contrast and other visual styles. Click the button below to open the settings.
Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state
PALMER — After a house fire that started with an air conditioner plugged into an extension cord, Palmer Fire Chief William J. Bernat, Jr., and State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey are reminding residents to plug heavy appliances directly into wall outlets.
The incident came four days after a fire in Webster, which started with an AC cord pinched between a bedframe and the wall.
“This summer’s heat has been brutal, and many folks are turning up the air conditioners,” said Chief Bernat. “If you do, remember that these appliances should always be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Using an extension cord or power strip could cause a fire like the one we saw here.”
“Extension cords and power strips are for temporary use and can’t safely handle the high current that air conditioners, space heaters, and other heavy appliances use,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “Plug these devices into a wall outlet to prevent a fire, and keep the cord clear of doorways and furniture that might damage or pinch them.”
The Palmer Fire Department responded to the area of 4454 High St. at about 3:20 yesterday morning and observed smoke coming from the front left corner of the second floor. One adult resident was injured attempting to extinguish the fire but escaped the residence; she was transported for additional medical care. Palmer firefighters were able to extinguish the fire soon after their arrival.
An investigation by the Palmer Fire Department, the Palmer Police Department, and the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal determined the fire’s point of origin to be the connection between an air conditioner power cord and an extension cord, which in turn was plugged into a power strip and another extension cord. An electrical event at that point ignited combustible materials in the area.
“Fortunately, the resident was awoken by the noise and flash of light,” Chief Bernat said. “There were no working smoke alarms in the residence, and this could very easily have been a terrible tragedy.”
This was at least the second residential fire related to air conditioning in less than a week. Another took place on Saturday afternoon on Bigelow Road in Webster, where a resident’s air conditioner cord caused a fire after it was pinched between the bedframe and the wall.
“An occupant reported that the circuit breaker panel had tripped several times in the hours before the fire,” said Webster Fire Chief Brian C. Hickey. “Blowing fuses or tripping the circuit breaker frequently is a warning sign that you should call a professional electrician. If you see arcs or sparks, hear a sizzling or burning sound, or smell something burning, call your fire department right away.”
Air conditioners have started 128 fires in Massachusetts homes in the past 10 years, State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said. These fires caused five civilian deaths, eight civilian injuries, 15 fire service injuries and $6.1 million in estimated damages.
The feedback will only be used for improving the website. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Fire Services. Please limit your input to 500 characters.
Thank you for your website feedback! We will use this information to improve this page.
If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Fire Services.
Ac Unit Cord If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site.