New day, new online challenge it seems.
Firefighters are warning parents of a new viral challenge on TikTok called the “outlet challenge.”
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The social media challenge urges people to partially plug a phone charger into an outlet and then slide a penny between the outlet and the charger prongs.
The result is what you would expect: sparks, electrical system damage and potentially a fire, according to the Holden Fire Department.
According to the fire department’s post on Facebook, “We are alerting parents to this challenge, and advise them to not only look for signs of fire play like scorched outlets but to have conversations about fire and electrical safety with tweens and teenagers.”
The Holden Fire Department reminded people to abide by the following fire safety tips.
- Insert plugs fully into sockets
- If you have young children, install tamper-resistant electrical outlets
- Replace wall outlets if plugs do not fit tightly, or show signs of damage.
- Do not overload outlets
- Never force a three-pronged plug into a two-slot outlet.
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Posted by Holden Fire Department on Tuesday, January 21, 2020