Firefighters share electrical safety tips following deadly New Rochelle fire

Firefighters are urging residents to follow electrical safety precautions following a deadly apartment building fire Friday in New Rochelle.

New Rochelle Fire Chief Andrew Sandor says he hopes to never see a deadly fire like Friday's again. On Saturday, he shared some tips on how families can stay safe during the current hot summer months and beyond.

Sandor advises not plugging large appliances into extension cords or power strips. If someone has a three-prong plug, they don't recommend cutting the third prong to fit it into a two-prong outlet.

Instead, Sandor recommends plugging large appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers, and air conditioners directly into wall outlets.

He also recommended residents not staple extension cords and run them around the door or run them under carpets or through walls.

Sandor also warned about overloading extension cords, which investigators believe was the cause of Friday's fire.

The city's building department determined that a total of four apartments in the building were uninhabitable. As of Saturday evening, there was still no official information on when anyone would be able to live in these units again.