It was just another ordinary morning. Nothing unusual, no rush, no cooking planned. I walked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, when suddenly — a strange burning smell hit me. A second later, I saw it: flames. My air fryer was on fire. And the strangest part? I wasn’t even using it. It was plugged in, but completely idle. No timer set, no cooking mode running.

My reaction was instant. I unplugged the device and grabbed the fire extinguisher — thankfully, I had one nearby — and put out the fire. No one got hurt, but the shock still hasn’t left me. I can still hear the crackling sound of wires burning inside, see the flames licking the plastic casing. And worst of all, I keep thinking what could’ve happened if I had left the house just ten minutes earlier…

At first, I thought it was a factory defect. So I called customer support. But they calmly told me: “This actually happens more often than you’d expect — especially when appliances are left plugged in.” That’s when it hit me.

The cause of the fire was terrifyingly simple: the air fryer was just plugged in. It wasn’t turned on. It wasn’t being used. But because it was still connected to the power supply, electricity was quietly flowing through its internal components. Over time, this caused overheating in one of the elements, which led to a short circuit. One tiny spark — and boom. Flames.

According to the technician, many kitchen appliances can pose a similar threat if left plugged in — even when they appear to be turned off. This includes not just air fryers, but also slow cookers, coffee machines, electric kettles, microwave ovens, and even bread makers.

Now think about this: thousands of people across the country leave their appliances plugged in every day. Most of them assume that if the appliance is “off,” it’s safe. But that’s not true. Many devices are never truly off unless they’re unplugged — they just enter standby mode. And that standby mode can still heat internal circuits, especially if the components start to wear out.

As I started sharing my story with friends, I was stunned to learn that one of them had lost her entire kitchen because of a slow cooker that was simply plugged in. Another told me her neighbor’s apartment burned down — again, due to a plugged-in device. We just don’t think about it. We trust our modern appliances blindly.

But after what happened to me, I no longer make that mistake.

If I had left the house or gone back to sleep, things could have ended in disaster. And all because of one simple oversight: I didn’t unplug the cord.

So here are a few life-saving tips I want everyone to remember:

Never leave your kitchen appliances plugged in when you’re not using them. Even if they seem “off,” they’re still drawing power.

Check cords, plugs, and outlets regularly. Any fraying, cracks, or strange smells? Replace the device immediately.

Use outlets with automatic shut-off or surge protectors. These small investments could save your home — or your life.

Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. And learn how to use it before you ever need it.

My story could have ended with a house fire. Or worse. But I was lucky. I was in the right place at the right time. And now, I’m sharing this not to scare you — but to wake you up.

Right now, look around your kitchen. What’s still plugged in? The toaster? The blender? The coffee maker?

Unplug it. Just in case.
That “just in case” might be the one thing that saves everything.