Tumble dryer sparks fire

FIREFIGHTERS have issued guidance after attending fires caused by both faulty underfloor heating and unattended tumble dryers.

Two fire crews from Macclesfield and Bollington attended a fire at Marlborough Drive, Macclesfield at 00.46am on Tuesday, December 3.

Posting on the incident log, Cheshire Fire and Rescue said: “On arrival the crews found that there was a small amount of smoke coming from the underfloor heating in the bathroom at the property, there was also charring visible on the bathroom door frame. Firefighters isolated the electric to the underfloor heating, the crew then lifted the floor tiles to check for any signs of fire and make the property safe.

“Crews were in attendance at the property for around one hour 30 minutes.”

The service also had to tackle a spate of tumble dryer fires during the last month.

An incident at a Spar in Macclesfield at 4.37am on Wednesday, December 4 was the latest incident in Cheshire.

It took fire crews one-and-a-half hours to extinguish the fire. Smoke was also dispersed using large fans to remove any danger.

The issue with tumble dryers is that they are left unattended and often in areas that are hidden away and the fire can spread before anyone knows it is happening.

As a result, Cheshire Fire and Rescue advised removing lint from the trap after every load of clothes dried, not to cover the vent or any other opening and not to put any materials in which have been used to soak up flammable liquids.