A couple have been ordered to pay £350,000 in compensation after a dodgy DIY wiring job in their shed caused a fire that destroyed their neighbour's home. The High Court in Manchester ruled that Turney and Sue Logan are liable for the blaze, which occurred in May 2018 in Calder Vale, Lancashire, because they failed to have amateur electrical work inspected by a professional.
The fire, which gutted both the Logans' terraced house and that of neighbour Christopher Stanley-Smith, was traced to an extension lead installed 13 years earlier by Mrs Logan's former partner. The ex-partner, described as an office worker with no electrical training, had fed a domestic-grade indoor extension lead through a hole in the wall to power a freezer in the garden shed.
Judge Stephen Davies found that the Logans never considered having the wiring checked, despite Mrs Logan's admission that she knew electrics could be dangerous. The judge noted that the couple gave 'no real thought' to safety risks, including the use of an indoor cable outdoors, which could be damaged by rodents or physical impact.
The blaze spread from the shed to an adjacent conservatory and then to both homes. Firefighters worked through the night but were hindered by a full propane gas cylinder near the shed. Investigators initially considered a discarded cigarette as a possible cause, but the judge ruled the faulty wiring was to blame.
Mr Stanley-Smith, who sued through his home insurance company, was awarded £350,000. The Logans' own home was also destroyed, leaving them with significant losses. The case serves as a stark warning to homeowners about the risks of unqualified electrical work.
