CPSC Says Extension Cords Cause 4,600 Home Fires and 70 Deaths a Year
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 8
CPSC Says Extension Cords Cause 4,600 Home Fires and 70 Deaths a Year
2 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 8
Summary
4,600 home fires linked to extension cords each year kill about 70 people and injure 230 more, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates highlighted in the latest safety warning.
2,200 additional extension-cord injuries occur annually, with about half involving electric shocks and roughly one in four affecting children under 5.
Permanent use drives much of the risk because cords add failure points, wear over time, and can be overloaded when multiple devices draw more power than the cord or outlet is rated for.
Common misuse worsens the hazard, including plugging in high-draw appliances, daisy-chaining cords, running them through walls or under rugs, leaving them coiled, or using damaged and uncertified products.
The agency’s practical message is to treat extension cords as temporary solutions, use lab-certified grounded cords, and install permanent outlets where power is needed regularly.