Tumble dryer fire
Firefighters are highlighting the importance of having working smoke alarms after a tumble dryer fire in Shoeburyness.
A resident was in her garden when she noticed smoke coming from the conservatory which later set her smoke alarms off.
She acted quickly to shut the conservatory door, get out of the house and call the Fire Service out.
When crews arrived, the conservatory was smoke logged and firefighters extinguished the fire by 12:33pm.
Watch Manager Dave Gomez from Rochford Fire Station said: "This incident highlights the importance of having working smoke alarms at home. Had the resident been inside or out of the house, her working smoke alarms would have alerted her or a neighbour to this fire.
"We'd also like to praise the resident for shutting the door in the conservatory when spotting the fire as this contained the smoke and fire to the one area and minimised damage to other rooms. We'd advise anyone to shut doors throughout the house in the event of a fire if - and only if - it is safe to do so."
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
Do you have working smoke alarms?
We want every home in Essex to have a working smoke alarm on every floor. If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms at home, please get in touch so we can see how best to provide fire safety advice, either through a Home Safety Visit or advice over the phone. You can get in touch with us at essex-fire.gov.uk/book
Could you be an on-call firefighter?
Rochford's firefighters are on-call firefighters who all live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station and are paid to protect their community.
If you live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter.
Find out more at join.essex-fire.gov.uk/on-call