Firefighters called to tumble dryer fire at home

We are urging residents to check their home appliances are safe following a tumble dryer fire in Burton-on-Trent.

A crew from Burton were sent to an address near Melbourne Avenue, just after 10.45am on Tuesday (23 January).

When they got there, the fire had already been extinguished.

We carried out an inspection and later deemed the fire to be accidental after a tumble dryer set alight.

Station Manager Andrew Bourne, said: “Overloaded sockets and faulty electrical appliances cause over 7,000 house fires in Staffordshire every year.

“Even though this incident was safely managed, it can be easy for high-powered machines like tumble dryers to ignite if they are plugged in to faulty sockets and extension leads.

“These type of appliances should always be kept to one socket and should not be left on whilst they are unattended.

“I’d urge people to make sure their sockets and extension leads have a British or European safety mark and they are not powering too many devices at once. By taking extra precautions and being aware of the risks, we can limit the chances of accidental fires happening and keep people safe.”

To read more on electrical safety, visit: Electrical safety (staffordshirefire.gov.uk).