Warning following Lichfield tumble dryer fire

The warning comes after three people were taken to hospital following a house fire in Lichfield on Monday (19 August). Firefighters from Lichfield and Burton were called to the fire at a two-storey property on Burton Old Road at 12.25pm where a tumble dryer in a ground floor room had caught fire. All occupants of the house were able to get out safely but were taken to hospital as a precaution. Station manager, John Kitchener, said: "Tumble dryers, when used safely, can be an asset to a household. However, like most electrical appliances, they can become a fire hazard if the simple maintenance jobs, such as clearing fluff after use, are not carried out. If fluff is allowed to build up, the heat from the dryer can cause it to catch fire. "Although we haven't established the exact reason why this particular tumble dryer caught fire, we do offer the following advice to people using them:

• Remove lint (fluff) from your machine after every use
• Don't cover any vents on the dryer
• Sweep or vacuum the area around the machine to prevent build-up of fluff
• Clean them regularly
• Register your machine so you can be made aware of any product recalls which may relate to it
• Don't set your dryer running and then go out or up to bed; make sure you're able to keep an eye on it
• Clean it regularly."

The register my appliance website is designed to make it quicker and easier for the public to register all of their appliances. It provides up-to-date, accurate, contact information for owners who have acquired specific models of appliances within the last twelve years, so manufacturers can issue safety updates or repair notifications to the right homes. The website provides access to the registration pages of over 40 leading brands of domestic appliances, including most of the UK’s top-selling brands of major white goods.