Tumble dryer blaze wrecks family home
A FAMILY was forced to flee their home after a devastating fire caused by a tumble dryer.
No one was injured in the blaze that started as the dryer suddenly burst into flames.
But the house, in Wantage, Oxfordshire, was gutted, leaving the family homeless.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue station manager Paul Molloy said: “Thanks to the quick actions of the occupier, the family escaped from the fire safely as they followed our advice and got out, stayed out and called the fire service out.
“This was a severe fire and the prompt offensive action of the initial fire crews undoubtedly saved the adjoining property.
“Our crews continued working throughout the night to bring incident to a safe conclusion.”
A fire service spokesman said: “When the first fire crews arrived they were faced with a significant fire that engulfed the whole house.
“Fire crews were committed to wearing breathing apparatus and using high powered water jets to bring the blaze under control.”
Government statistics show there were 2,190 tumble dryer fires in England and Wales between 2012 and 2014, averaging three a day.
The Local Government Association has previously warned that people were “playing Russian roulette” by using faulty appliances prone to exploding into flames. the