Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued safety advice after firefighters were called to two fires involving tumble dryers in two days.
Just after 1.30pm on November 8th, a tumble dryer fire took place in an outbuilding of a property in Chelford Road, Knutsford and firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the flames.
On November 9th, just before 8am a fire broke out in Richmond Avenue, Warrington. The cause of this fire is believed to be lint within the dryer.
No one was hurt in either of these incidents, but Head of Prevention Nick Evans said: "Tumble dryers are being used more now the weather has turned, so it is important that anyone using one follows some basic, but vital, safety advice to reduce the risk of fire. Simple steps include ensuring you remove the lint after every load of clothes has been dried, and never leaving the dryer running overnight or while you are out."
Further safety advice when using tumble dryers includes:
• Remove the lint from the trap after every load of clothes dried
• Do not cover the vent or any other opening
• Ensure the vent pipe is free of kinks and is not crushed in any way
• Only used recommended vent pipes, and not improvised ones
• Only vent the warm air to the outside of a building
• Do not put rags or materials into your tumble dryer if they have been used to soak up flammable liquids.
Signs that your tumble dryer is not properly ventilated
• Clothes take a very long time to dry, especially heavy articles of clothing such as towels or jeans
• Clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle
• The flapper on the vent hood remains closed when the dryer is on
Nick added: "Residents also need to put registering white goods at the top of their list to reduce the risk of home fires. They can do this by visiting www.registermyappliance.org.uk a website run by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) which provides quick and easy access to the registration pages of 62 leading brands."
