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uk Home & property emergencies

What to do if…
an extension cord or power strip is hot, soft, melting, or discoloured

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stop using it immediately. If it is safe, switch off the wall socket and unplug it by the plug; if the plug or socket area looks unsafe, switch off the circuit at the consumer unit instead.

Do not do these things

  • Do not keep testing it by plugging it back in to see if it heats up again.
  • Do not touch softened or melted plastic, scorched areas, or exposed metal with bare hands.
  • Do not try to fix it with tape, glue, or by replacing only the plug if the lead or extension block has heated, softened, melted, or discoloured.
  • Do not run high-power appliances through it, especially heaters, kettles, microwaves, air fryers, tumble dryers, or similar heat-producing appliances.
  • Do not plug one extension lead or multi-socket extension into another.
  • Do not leave a cable reel or drum lead coiled while in use.
  • Do not run it under rugs, bedding, or furniture where heat and damage can build up unseen.
  • Do not use water on an electrical fire. If there is fire or heavy smoke, get out, close doors behind you if safe, and call 999.

What to do now

  1. Make a safer pause. If you smell burning, see smoke, hear crackling or buzzing, or the extension lead looks as if it is melting, move people and pets away from it.
  2. Cut the power safely. Choose the safest option:
    • If the wall socket area looks normal and you can reach it safely, switch the socket off at the wall, then unplug by holding the plug, not the cable.
    • If the plug, extension lead, or wall socket is scorched, sparking, crackling, smoking, very hot, or unsafe to approach, go to the consumer unit and switch off the relevant circuit. If you are unsure which circuit it is, use the main switch.
  3. Treat fire or heavy smoke as an emergency. Leave the area if needed and call 999.
  4. Let it cool without handling damaged parts. Once the power is off, keep it away from curtains, paper, bedding, upholstery, and other things that could catch fire. If it can be moved without touching damaged areas, put it on a nearby dry, heat-resistant, non-combustible surface such as tile, stone, or a metal tray.
  5. Take it out of use. If it became hot, soft, melted, scorched, or discoloured, treat the extension lead or multi-socket extension as unsafe. Label it “DO NOT USE” or bag it so nobody plugs it back in.
  6. Do not restart the same setup today. Move any heater, kettle, microwave, air fryer, tumble dryer, or other high-power appliance off the extension lead. Later, these should usually be plugged directly into a suitable wall socket, not into an extension lead.
  7. Check the rating before using any replacement. Look for the rating label on the replacement extension lead. Many UK extension leads are rated at 13A, but some are lower. If you cannot find the rating, do not rely on it for anything high-power.
  8. If it was a cable reel or drum lead, keep it fully unwound in future. If this reel or drum lead has already overheated, keep it out of service.
  9. If the wall socket may be involved, keep it off and get help. If the wall socket was hot, discoloured, loose, crackling, sparking, or smelled of burning, keep that socket switched off, or keep the circuit off if needed, and contact a qualified electrician. If you rent, report it to your landlord or agent as an electrical safety issue.
  10. Check for recalls if the product may be defective. If the extension lead looks poorly made, unusually light, damaged near the plug, or has repeatedly heated up, check UK product safety alerts and recalls for the brand or model and follow any instruction to stop using it.
  11. Get urgent help for injury or illness. Call 999 for life-threatening symptoms, severe burns, breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, or feeling very unwell after smoke, fumes, or an electric shock. After an electric shock, seek medical help unless it was clearly very minor; use NHS 111 if it is urgent but not life-threatening.

What can wait

  • You do not need to work out exact wattages right now.
  • You do not need to decide today whether to replace sockets, rewire, or add new outlets.
  • You do not need to identify the exact cause before making the area safe.
  • You do not need to argue with anyone about blame while the lead, plug, or socket may still be unsafe.

Important reassurance

Heat, softening, melting, or discolouration is a clear warning sign. Stopping use and isolating the power are the right first steps and can reduce the risk of fire or electric shock.

Scope note

These are first steps only, aimed at immediate safety and preventing repeat use. Later decisions about replacement, electrician inspection, landlord contact, product recalls, or insurance can come once things are stable.

Important note

This is general safety information, not professional electrical, medical, legal, financial, or insurance advice. If you suspect damage to fixed wiring, or there are signs of burning, sparking, overheating, or repeated tripping, keep power off to that socket or circuit and get qualified help.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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