QuickCheck: Can charging a laptop on a bed cause a fire?

FROM time to time, we hear claims that charging a laptop or smartphone while resting it on a bed, sofa or similar furniture is risky or dangerous as it could overheat and start a fire. Is this true?

VERDICT:

TRUE

On April 3, a devastating house fire in Maine in the United States was traced to a laptop that had been left on a bed while it was charging.

Firefighters put out a blaze in Gorham, a town 16km west of Portland, that was caused by a charging laptop left on a bed, according to a Facebook post from the Gorham Fire Department.

“Fires caused by charging and faulty batteries are on the rise all over the country,” firefighters said.

Lithium batteries supply power to many devices including smartphones, laptops, ecigarettes, toys and more, according to the US National Fire Protection Association.

“These batteries store a large amount of energy in a small... space,” according to the organisation, and "can overheat, catch fire or explode.”

Officials recommend not charging a device under a pillow, on a bed or a couch and to avoid placing batteries in direct sunlight.

The association also said many major airlines no longer accept luggage containing lithium batteries – whether checked or carry-on – for fear they could overheat and pose a fire hazard in flight.