Electrical Safety at Home: Warning Signs, MCB vs RCCB and Shock First Aid

In 2024, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recorded 1,042 fires caused by electrical short circuits, which killed 1,012 people. That is about one in six of all fire accidents. Another 15,861 people died of electrocution.

(Source: NCRB, Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024.)

Our homes now run far more than a few bulbs and a fan. Think of the AC, the geyser, the induction cooktop, the microwave, two-wheeler and phone chargers, and the inverter. Much of the wiring behind our walls was never meant for that load. Add cheap extension boards, missing earthing and a few loose connections, and you have the conditions for a shock or a fire.

Electrical fires and electrocution (NCRB, 2023 and 2024)

Indicator	2023	2024
Fires from electrical short circuits (cases)	1,780	1,042
Deaths in these fires	1,673	1,012
Deaths from electrocution	13,835	15,861

(Source: NCRB, Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2023 and 2024, as reported by States/UTs.)

What the data shows:

• Short-circuit fires were about one in six (17.5%) of all fire accidents NCRB recorded in 2024.
• Electrocution deaths rose by about 15% from 2023 to 2024. Electricity killed far more people by shock than by fire.
• NCRB does not separate homes from other places for these causes, so the figures cover all settings.

Common causes of electrical fires and shocks

1. Overloaded plug points. Too many appliances on one board or one socket.
2. Loose or old wiring. Connections that heat up and spark inside the wall.
3. Cheap, non-ISI switches, cables and extension boards. They heat up quickly and melt.
4. No earthing. A fault in a geyser, washing machine or iron can make its metal body live.
5. No RCCB. Without a residual current device, nothing cuts the power when current leaks through a person.

Case study: meter box fire, Jogeshwari, Mumbai (2026)

• What happened: a fire broke out in the electric meter box of a chawl in Jogeshwari East, Mumbai, early on 3 July 2026, and thick smoke spread through the premises.
• Result: an elderly couple, aged 75 and 67, died of suffocation.
• Lesson: a meter box or distribution board is a fire point. Keep it closed, clean and checked, and never store anything around it.

Signs your wiring needs checking now

• Lights that flicker or dim when an appliance starts
• A burning or hot plastic smell from a socket or switchboard
• The MCB tripping or the fuse blowing again and again
• Switches or plugs that feel warm, or a buzzing sound
• Sparks when you plug in or pull out
• A tingling feeling when you touch an appliance or a tap

If you notice any of these, call a licensed electrician. Do not wait for the smell to turn into smoke.

Prevention steps for every home

• Use only ISI-marked wires, switches, plugs and appliances.
• Never overload a socket or extension board. Heavy appliances such as ACs, geysers and heaters need their own proper socket.
• Have MCBs and an RCCB fitted in the main distribution board, and press the RCCB’s test button regularly.
• Make sure your home is properly earthed.
• Get the wiring checked by a licensed electrician when you move into an older house, before adding heavy appliances and whenever you notice warning signs.
• Replace damaged plugs and cords at once. Do not tape them up.
• Keep curtains, papers and clothes away from sockets, the meter box and the distribution board.
• Switch off and unplug irons, heaters and immersion rods after use.

MCB or RCCB: what is the difference?

Device	What it does	Protects against
MCB	Trips on overload or short circuit	Overheated wiring and fire
RCCB	Detects current leaking to earth	Electric shock

Fit both. The MCB protects the wiring, and the RCCB protects the person.

Children and elderly people

• Use socket guards on low sockets where small children can reach them.
• Keep switchboards at a comfortable height for elderly family members, so they do not have to stretch or climb.
• Keep extension cords off wet floors and away from bathrooms.
• Teach children never to touch switches with wet hands or pull a plug by its cord.

If someone gets an electric shock

• Do not touch them while they may still be in contact with the current.
• Switch off the power at the main switch or MCB. If you cannot, push the source away with something dry and non-metallic, such as a wooden broom handle, while standing on something dry.
• Call 108 or 112 at once.
• If the person is not breathing normally, start CPR and keep going until help arrives. If you are not trained, push hard and fast in the centre of the chest.
• Anyone who has had a serious shock should see a doctor, even if they seem fine.

If there is an electrical fire

Switch off the power at the main if you can do it safely. Never throw water on an electrical fire. A small fire can be tackled with a CO2 or ABC dry powder extinguisher. If it is spreading, get everyone out and call 101 or 112.

What should change

• New homes should get an electrical safety check and certificate before people move in.
• Building approvals should require proper earthing, MCBs and RCCBs.
• Electricity distribution companies should run regular public awareness on safe wiring.
• Sale of non-ISI electrical products should be strictly penalised.
• Electricians should be trained and licensed under a proper national scheme.

Do this tonight

Look at the extension board behind your TV or fridge. If it is crowded, warm or cracked, unplug something. Then open the distribution board and check whether you have an RCCB. If you do not, call an electrician this week.

Wondering whether too many appliances share one socket? Our appliance load checker lets you pick what runs together and tells you in plain words whether the socket or MCB can take it. It is a guide only, so ask a qualified electrician for a proper check.

References

• NCRB, Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2024, Chapter 1 and Tables 1.7, 1.8 and 1.12 (ncrb.gov.in)
• NCRB, Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2023, Table 1.7
• Bureau of Indian Standards, National Building Code of India 2016, Part 8, Building Services (electrical installations)