From faulty outlets to battery fires, we fight for victims of preventable electrical blazes.

Electrical and appliance fires often start quietly: a breaker that keeps tripping, a “warm” outlet, flickering lights, a burning smell near an appliance, a phone charger that runs hot. Then, in minutes, a room is engulfed and families are dealing with catastrophic burns, smoke inhalation, or wrongful death.

These fires are frequently preventable. They can be traced to dangerous electrical conditions, ignored maintenance, code violations, defective products, or lithium-ion batteries that go into thermal runaway. McEldrew Purtell represents individuals and families harmed by electrical and appliance fires with a focus on catastrophic injury and wrongful death.

How electrical and appliance fires start

Many of these cases involve one or more of the following:

• Faulty wiring and unsafe electrical systems – Overloaded circuits, loose connections, damaged insulation, aluminum wiring problems, outdated panels, improper grounding, or unpermitted electrical work.
• Outlet, switch, and breaker failures – Arcing faults behind walls, overheating receptacles, worn outlets, miswired switches, or breakers that fail to trip when they should.
• Extension cords and power strips – Overloaded strips, daisy-chained cords, cords pinched under rugs or furniture, counterfeit components, and products not rated for the load being used.
• Appliances that overheat or malfunction – Dryers clogged with lint, refrigerators with compressor issues, stoves/ovens with faulty controls, dishwashers with wiring defects, HVAC units, space heaters, and window AC units.
• Lithium-ion battery fires – E-bikes, scooters, power tools, laptops, phones, and battery packs that ignite while charging or after damage often producing intense heat and toxic smoke.
• Defective smoke alarms or missing safety features – Fires worsen when smoke alarms don’t sound, are missing, or were installed incorrectly reducing escape time when seconds matter.

Our focus isn’t just what sparked the fire, but why it spread and whether safer design, maintenance, or warnings would have prevented the catastrophe.

Who may be responsible

Electrical and appliance fire cases often involve more than one liable party, including:

• Property owners, landlords, and property managers – For failing to maintain safe electrical systems, ignoring complaints, using unlicensed contractors, or violating building and fire codes.
• Electricians, contractors, and builders – For improper installation, unpermitted renovations, code violations, and defective workmanship that creates hidden ignition hazards.
• Manufacturers and sellers – For defective appliances, chargers, batteries, power strips, extension cords, outlets, or electrical components including failures in design, manufacturing, or warnings.
• Maintenance companies and service technicians – For negligent repairs, failure to identify dangerous conditions, or leaving equipment in an unsafe state.

Part of our job is mapping responsibility early so survivors and families aren’t forced to accept a “one-policy” outcome that doesn’t reflect catastrophic harm.

What to do after an electrical or appliance fire

If you’re able, these steps can help protect both your health and your rights:

1. Talk with counsel early (fire scenes and products can be altered, repaired, or discarded quickly).
2. Get full medical evaluation (smoke exposure and burns can worsen after discharge).
3. Preserve the product and components (appliance, charger, battery, cord, outlet, breaker panel). Don’t throw anything away if it can be safely retained.
4. Save documentation (receipts, manuals, prior maintenance requests, landlord communications, photos/videos, fire department paperwork).
5. Be cautious with insurance and manufacturer calls (recorded statements and quick “replacement offers” can limit your options).