Faulty electrical appliances have led to the death of seven people so far this year, in addition to five in 2023 and four in 2024, the House commerce committee heard on Tuesday.

The statistics led to lawmakers demanding stricter enforcement of safety regulations, calling for better consumer protection and market supervision.

Committee chairman and Disy MP Kyriakos Hadjiyiannis stressed that safety regulations are already in place under European and national law. He argued that additional legislation is unnecessary, but effective enforcement is critical.

A representative of the fire service there were 166 cases of fire incidents linked to electrical appliances in 2023, 122 in 2024, and 20 so far in 2025.

These fires led to 25 rescues in 2023, 35 in 2024, and nine in 2025, while injuries totalled 36 in 2023, 22 in 2024, and just one this year.

The increasing death toll has sparked concerns over the quality of products available on the market.

President of the Cyprus Consumers Association Marios Drousiotis questioned whether faulty products involved in fires had undergone proper testing. He highlighted concerns that over 50 per cent of electrical adapters sold in Cyprus do not meet safety standards.

Representatives from the electrical engineers association said market checks are conducted by the department of electromechanical services but many homes still contain unsafe equipment. They criticised the low fines imposed on importers of substandard products and called for better consumer awareness.

Consumer protection service director Constantinos Karagiorgis said over the past year, his department conducted 7,800 inspections, nine specialised campaigns, and product sampling for 19 items. It issued 114 compliance notices to companies.

The department of electromechanical services reported that 68 products had been withdrawn from the market over the past five years.

If a device is suspected of causing a fire, a sample is sent abroad for testing. Direct contact is made with manufacturers when a product recall is issued.

Disy MP Nikos Sykas pressed for details on whether any products were withdrawn following the latest fire fatalities – a family of five died on February 15 in their Limassol apartment while on Sunday a man in a nearby area also died.

Diko MP Panikos Leonidou argued for a single authority to oversee market surveillance and keep consumers informed.

Green party MP Stavros Papadouris warned that households contain recalled devices that no one is actively replacing. He proposed a legislative framework for a national register of unsafe products, with inspections carried out by licensed electricians.

The electrical engineers association backed the proposal and raised concerns over fake CE (Conformite Europeenne) markings, which falsely indicate compliance with EU safety standards. Drousiotis revealed that 80,000 faulty voltage switches currently need replacing.

Committee chairman Hadjiyiannis called for immediate legislative action imposing harsher penalties for CE mark fraud. He lamented the absence of government ministers from the discussion and accused the state of failing to protect its citizens.

“We live in a country where the administration operates in a humiliating, disgraceful manner, disregarding human rights and effectively killing its people,” he said.

“How is it acceptable to count dead citizens in a state that has a well-paid public administration? And yet no one takes responsibility for allowing dangerous, falsely labelled products to circulate?”

Akel MP Costas Costa also voiced frustration, pointing to a lack of accountability among state agencies.

“Seven lives have already been lost this year, an enormous number for Cyprus’ small population. Yet, we see no real inspections. Importers of dangerous products simply pay fines and continue profiting at the expense of public safety,” he said.