Tumble dryer explodes and blows hole in garage roof

The explosion blew a hole in the garage roof, melted plastic garden furniture and destroyed the tumble dryer at the property last Wednesday afternoon (March 16).

Firefighters who put out the flames say it was lucky nobody was injured.

But the incident - the fourth of its kind in Nottinghamshire this year - has once again led to warnings about the safety of tumble dryers.

Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, community safety committee chairman, at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “This incident remains a mystery. By all accounts, the filter had been cleaned on a regular basis and there was no record of any previous fault with the machine, but for some unexplained reason, it caught fire when it was in use.

“The consumer had put some towels on to dry for 20 minutes and returned to see the controls glowing red, before running back into the house to alert the fire service.

“This quick thinking ensured emergency services were on the scene quickly, and the occupant was advised to stay outside the property until they arrived – the potential consequences could have been far worse if the fire had begun at night or the dryer had been left unattended for even longer.”

Station manager Matt Reavill, who works in the community safety team at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue, echoed the sentiments of Coun Gilfoyle.

He said: “The garage that this fire took place in was left severely damaged and, while thankfully nobody was injured, it could have been a lot worse.

“We would really urge people to take heed of available advice so we can try to prevent further fires like this occurring.”

Nationally, big name brands have been recalling tumble dryers under warranty after a series of fires involving them across the country.

The county council’s trading standards team has been in touch with its counterparts in West Yorkshire as the manufacturer is based in Halifax.

They have also issued a number of tips for people with tumble dryers:

- Never leave your appliance running overnight.

- Clean the filter in your dryer after every use.

- Don’t overload your dryer and make sure that you take clothes out once they are dry.

- Keep your dryer well ventilated and ensure that the vent pipe is kink free and not blocked in any way.

- Have your dryer serviced regularly by a qualified engineer.

- Ensure you have a working smoke alarm and test it regularly.

- Allow the cooling cycle to conclude before taking out the clothes and, if not, ensure they are aired thoroughly - the reason being is that the clothes can catch fire through the folding process and them having excessive heat still within them.

Residents concerned about potentially faulty white goods should contact the Citizens’ Advice Consumer Service on 03454 04 05 06.