The scary reason you should never leave your laptop charger plugged in before bed
Simple mistake causes major loss
![Country Living logo]()
Updated: 12:08 PM CDT Jul 9, 2020
You might have read that sleeping near electronics, such as smartphones and laptops, while they are charging can be incredibly dangerous, but for Abbey Johnson, those fire safety warnings became a harsh reality when she woke up to a two-alarm fire in her home Memorial Day weekend 2017.Johnson said that while she was house-sitting for her father and stepmother in Arlington, Texas, she was sitting on the living room couch around 5:30 p.m., watching a movie on an HP Inc. laptop. The laptop was connected to its charger, which was plugged into the wall behind the couch, with the charger cable hanging over the back of the couch. The charger box was resting on one of the couch cushions.After the movie was over, around 7:30 p.m., Johnson left her computer, which was still plugged in and charging, on the couch. Around 10 p.m., she headed upstairs to go to sleep. Around 1 a.m., Johnson woke up to an alarm going off, which she originally thought was a burglar alarm, until she smelled smoke. When she headed downstairs to investigate, she saw that the couch cushion on which the charger box had been resting was engulfed in flames.Thinking fast, Johnson decided to run outside and call 911, not realizing how quickly the fire would spread."As I waited outside on the phone with 911 while they got in touch with the fire department, the fire spread to the rest of the house," she told CountryLiving.com. "I was only on the phone with the operator for a couple (of) minutes when I realized how thick the smoke had gotten and that I wouldn't be able to go back inside to retrieve the dog and two cats. Even as I called for the dog, I realized he was probably already gone."Johnson said she was only on the phone for a total of five minutes before the entire house was engulfed in flames.In the aftermath of the tragedy, the family's insurance company and the Arlington Fire Department both sent investigators to analyze the scene. They confirmed Johnson's computer charger was the cause of the fire. It had either overheated or sparked, causing the couch to catch fire."While I had felt the charger box get warm on occasion, it had never been too hot to touch, so we're pretty sure that it sparked," said Johnson. "I kept my charger plugged into my laptop 24/7, never thinking that it could cause something like this to happen, and I know many people who do the same." Ultimately, Johnson wants her story to be a warning for others to be more careful about leaving their laptops and smartphones plugged in while they're away from their homes or sleeping. "An entire house and three sweet pets were lost because of a computer charger sparking in the middle of the night," she said. "It's something that is so preventable, and everyone should be aware of the consequences."
You might have read , while they are charging can be incredibly dangerous, but for Abbey Johnson, those fire safety warnings became a harsh reality when she woke up to a two-alarm fire in her home Memorial Day weekend 2017.
Johnson said that while she was house-sitting for her father and stepmother in Arlington, Texas, she was sitting on the living room couch around 5:30 p.m., watching a movie on an HP Inc. laptop. The laptop was connected to its charger, which was plugged into the wall behind the couch, with the charger cable hanging over the back of the couch. The charger box was resting on one of the couch cushions.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
After the movie was over, around 7:30 p.m., Johnson left her computer, which was still plugged in and charging, on the couch. Around 10 p.m., she headed upstairs to go to sleep.
Around 1 a.m., Johnson woke up to an alarm going off, which she originally thought was a burglar alarm, until she smelled smoke. When she headed downstairs to investigate, she saw that the couch cushion on which the charger box had been resting was engulfed in flames.
Courtesy of Abbey Johnson
Thinking fast, Johnson decided to run outside and call 911, not realizing how quickly the fire would spread.
"As I waited outside on the phone with 911 while they got in touch with the fire department, the fire spread to the rest of the house," she told CountryLiving.com. "I was only on the phone with the operator for a couple (of) minutes when I realized how thick the smoke had gotten and that I wouldn't be able to go back inside to retrieve the dog and two cats. Even as I called for the dog, I realized he was probably already gone."
Johnson said she was only on the phone for a total of five minutes before the entire house was engulfed in flames.
"All I could do was watch my dad's house burn to the ground. I'd never felt so completely helpless in my life."
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the family's insurance company and the Arlington Fire Department both sent investigators to analyze the scene. They confirmed Johnson's computer charger was the cause of the fire. It had either overheated or sparked, causing the couch to catch fire.
Courtesy of Abbey Johnson
"While I had felt the charger box get warm on occasion, it had never been too hot to touch, so we're pretty sure that it sparked," said Johnson.
"I kept my charger plugged into my laptop 24/7, never thinking that it could cause something like this to happen, and I know many people who do the same."
Courtesy of Abbey Johnson
Ultimately, Johnson wants her story to be a to be more careful about leaving their laptops and smartphones plugged in while they're away from their homes or sleeping. "An entire house and three sweet pets were lost because of a computer charger sparking in the middle of the night," she said. "It's something that is so preventable, and everyone should be aware of the consequences."
