Smoke alarm alerts residents to tumble dryer fire

Firefighters were called to an incident in Weybourne Close, Southend on Sea at 6:43pm last night. 

When crews arrived, they found a fire in the utility room which had been caused by an overheated tumble dryer. 

Crew Manager Ricky Jones said: “It’s important to make sure you take extra care when using tumble dryers. In this case the residents had left the room without proper ventilation causing it to overheat and set alight to items left on top of the dryer. 

“Luckily they had working smoke alarms which alerted them to the fire and they were all able to get out safely and call 999.”

Follow our advice to stay safe using your tumble dryer:

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
• Don’t use tumble dryers at night or while unattended
• Clean the filters after each use to ensure they do not become blocked with fluff
• Items should be removed from the dryer immediately after the cycle and shaken loose to assist cooling
• Ensure that the appliance has its own plug socket. Do not overload extension leads. Ensure that no more than 13 amps are in any one plug socket.