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Warning over fires caused by hair straighteners

650,000 UK house fires have been caused by hair straighteners Credit: Hampshire Fire and Rescue

A national campaign warning of the dangers of beauty appliances is being backed by Hampshire Fire and Rescue.

It's thought 650,000 house fires in he UK have been caused by a hair straightener.

The new campaign called 'pull the plug' urges people to turn off their cosmetic gadgets.

650,000 UK house fires have been caused by hair straighteners Credit: Hampshire Fire and Rescue

"Straighteners can reach temperatures of more than 235C and can take up to 40 minutes to cool down. Considering that they reach temperatures hotter than a deep fat-fryer, there's a very high risk of damage or fire if left near flammable materials.

"Our research shows that one in 12 women have left a beauty appliance switched on at some point or other, which is extremely worrying.

"Our advice is to pull the plug on your appliances: switch them off when you've finished using them and leave them to cool on a mat or heat proof surface."

– Emma Apter, Head of Communications at Electrical Safety First