Fire alert over iffy iPhone chargers

AFTER months of warning about Whirlpool tumble dryers catching fire, I’ve been alerted to another household blaze hazard – fake iPhone chargers.

Bill Turner contacted me this week to reveal that one of the imitation devices could have burned his house down.

His ordeal is a worry because many people have these chargers.

Bill was always losing his iPhone charger and ending up using his wife’s and claiming it was his.

To solve the problem, his wife bought him a new “blue” iPhone charger for £7.99 from a shop in Leicester Square, London, so it would be clear which one was his.

Three weeks later, disaster nearly struck after Bill left the charger plugged in and switched on, but not attached to a phone.

There was a loud bang and Bill found the charger had exploded and caught fire.

Luckily he was able to put out the fire swiftly.

But he said that if he had not been at home his property could have been gutted.

Exploded

I quizzed Bill further and discovered what he was using was not an authorised Apple device. The giveaway was the price.

An official iPhone charger sells for between £12.99 and £25.

These imitation chargers are manufactured most probably in parts of the Far East where there are next to no safety regulations.

I have told Bill to take the charger back to the shop to get a refund, quoting the Consumer Rights Act of 2015.

I have also urged him to report the matter to Trading Standards.

I would encourage anyone else who has one of these imitation chargers (which I believe is many of you) to take the same steps to avoid the risk of disaster.

I spoke to Apple, who said these cheap chargers have been an issue for a few years.

They encourage people not to buy imitation Apple accessories.

One big reason is – if something goes wrong with your Apple device and it emerges you have been using an unofficial charger, the warranty will be void.