By James Wells
MELBOURNE: A fire which was caused by a faulty electric blanket earlier this morning in Melbourne, could have easily been avoided.
An East Melbourne couple woke shortly before 2.15am this morning when their smoke alarm alerted them to the faulty electric blanket which caused their bed to catch fire.
According to a local fire brigade officer, the woman woke her husband who then used a dry powder fire extinguisher to douse the flames before they had time to take hold.
Sunbeam category manager, Danielle McConnell, told Current.com.au that laws requiring all electric blankets to feature overheat safety protection have been in place for several years.
She said that the consumers in danger of fire were people with old electric blankets that do not regularly check them or replace them.
“We have had overheat protection in our blanket since 1990, so it is highly unlikely that it was a Sunbeam electric blanket,” she said.
According to McConnell, Sunbeam has recorded 67.5 per cent value share of the electric blanket category for the month of June.
“It is a better than expected winter and sales have been very strong now we are at the height of the season,” she said.
For this heating season, Sunbeam introduced the world’s first electric heated quilt, which is available in queen and king sizes.