NINE months ago, a phone charger cost Horsham couple Alan and Sue Frankham their home.
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Mr Frankham believes it also nearly cost him his life.
Mr Frankham, who works in Horsham Rural City Council's community safety unit, said he woke to hear a popping noise just after midnight on August 12.
"I thought it was the fire we lit in the fireplace, so I went up to have a look and the fire was OK, but the bottom of the curtains were alight," he said.
"I threw the laptop out the front door, and when I got back the curtains were fully alight.
"The flames went to the ceiling and top of the windows exploded in flames and I collapsed to the ground due to the toxic fumes from all the plastics and nylon burning. I got my breath back and crawled out of the house.
"I reckon if I had been inside for another 45 seconds, I would have been dead from smoke inhalation."
Mrs Frankam evacuated the home after calling Triple Zero.
Firefighters later deemed that a phone charger sparked the blaze.
Mr Frankham believed the heat from the charging phone, rather than a faulty charger, caused the fire.
"That was the only thing in the corner where the fire started that was charging at the time," Mr Frankham said.
It will take a year for the Frankhams to rebuild their home. In the meantime, they are renting a property south of the Wimmera River.
"I strongly advise people not to charge their phones at night. We don't anymore - it's just not worth it." Mr Frankham said.
"The fire investigator said there were lots of phones throughout Australia catching alight common occurrence.
"A bloke I know had a lead catch alight in his car, and a cousin of mine had a charger that was smouldering in India when he was overseas."
The Frankhams warning comes as Horsham Fire Brigade prepares to host its annual electrical and home fire safety day at its Hamilton Street base on Sunday, May 26.
Horsham brigade captain John St Clair said Horsham firefighters had attended 25 residential fires in 2018 - some, like the Frankhams', caused by faulty electrical products.
The brigade has invited people to bring electrical products such as kettles, hair dryers and electric blankets and have a qualified electrician test them.
A gold coin donation will cover the cost of testing the items.
Brigade members will also be on hand with fire safety advice.
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