This is the dryer Whirlpool ‘fixed’ to make it safe
Family flee their home after terrifying fire
Machine after blaze FIRES How Mirror covered other issues linked to dryers A FIRE-risk Whirlpool dryer which had been “fixed” by the company caught light, forcing a family to flee their home.
Richard Smith said the blaze caused windows to smash, melted part of a floor, “and put the lives of my family in danger”.
Up to five million machines had a design fault, which allows fluff to touch the heating element and has caused at least 750 fires.
Whirlpool began a drive to modify affected dryers after the problem was discovered in 2015.
Richard’s IDV75UK machine from Indesit – a brand bought by Whirlpool in 2014 – was supposedly made safe two years ago.
But it caught fire in March while his partner and two children were at home.
Richard, of Pembrokeshire, South Wales, said: “If Whirlpool hadn’t assured us the modifications had made the product safe, we would have removed it.”
It comes after a report by the Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards said modified dryers posed a “low” risk.
Consumer group Which? said the finding was “deeply flawed”.
David Chaplin, from Which?, said: “[Richard’s] shocking story compounds concerns Whirlpool’s so-called fix may be falling well short. The Secretary of State, Greg Clark, must step in and end this scandal by ensuring all firerisk dryers are immediately removed from people’s homes.”
Dozens of people with “fixed” dryers have reported fires or a strong smoke smell. Whirlpool’s Creda and Hotpoint brands are also affected by the design fault.
Whirlpool said safety was its number one priority and it is investigating Richard’s case.