So sorry about the damage and loss!! It's a good warning. I just replaced all my extensions with strips only last month. The ones today are safer than the ones made in the 80s and early 90s.
BTW, toasters and candles cause the majority of fires in the US today. Always unplug your toaster when not in use. It's a hassle, but even my grandmother had a toaster fire. My sister had a candle fire (her own stupidity, but then that is how they happen).