Paranoid about smell of burning after fire

IN the evening of Feb 15, I was reading The Star’s reports on the fire in Wangsa Permai Kepong and thinking about how the father was not aware of the fire that was burning downstairs. I also read the precautions to be taken when a fire breaks out.

The following morning, I put my electric kettle on and left it to boil as usual while I did my morning daily devotion in my reading room near the kitchen. My daughter who was upstairs getting ready to go to work called out, saying something was burning. I said it must be from outside as I couldn’t smell anything but she insisted that it was inside our house. I went to the kitchen and was horrified to find it full of smoke and the wall socket charred by the melted plug of the electric kettle. Thank God I did not have curtains on my kitchen window.

The thing that troubled me most was that although I was in the next room with the door open I was not aware of the fire and smoke until I went to check out my daughter’s concern. My husband slept through the whole incident and was not aware that the house was full of smoke although the bedroom door was open.

The electrician who checked all the plugs and electrical points in my house told us the plug which was supplied with the kettle was substandard for a high-voltage electrical appliance.

The kettle is a well-known brand and was bought less them three months ago. When I took it to the company for claims, I was told an investigation would need to be done. I had also bought two other electrical appliances besides the kettle on the same day and wanted to return them as well because I was concerned about safety.

Thank God that I only had a smoky house to handle but I am now paranoid about any smell of burning.