Firefighters are warning of the dangers of leaving your tumble dryer on while asleep after a serious house fire in Arnold on Sunday morning.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) issued the warning after crews from Arnold, Stockhill and Carlton were called to a house on Calverton Road in Arnold at 00:23am on Sunday (January 28).
The tumble dryer had caught fire – which then spread along with smoke due to some of the downstairs internal doors being open.
The fire, which left a family-of-three trapped upstairs in their home, has also prompted a reminder to fit and test smoke alarms, close internal doors overnight, as well as making sure that you are aware of any recall notices for your white goods.
Firefighters used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel and a positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fan to extinguish the fire, after the family had been rescued by a brave neighbour who heard shouts for help from inside.
Station manager Jonathan Holford, who attended the incident, said: “This incident had the potential to have more serious consequences, and the family are lucky to be alive thanks to their neighbour.
“Never wait for the smell of smoke to wake you up and always buy yourself time to safely exit your property in the event of a fire by installing smoke alarms and testing them regularly.
“You might think that we as a Service talk a lot about smoke alarms, but I cannot stress enough that such a simple measure can save your life and those of your loved ones.”
Jonathan added that there are plenty of things you can do yourself to make sure that you are as safe from fire as possible.
He said: “In this case, the fire was caused by a tumble dryer, and while we would never recommend leaving these on overnight or unattended in general, it is also important to check for any recalls on your white goods which could mean that they are at risk of fault, or even fire.
“It could be that you have had a letter from the manufacturer of your appliance, and if this is the case, I would urge you to take action as soon as possible. We would always advise you to follow the advice of the manufacturer, and alternatively, you can check on their website for the latest recalls. When was the last time you did this? If you take just five minutes to do this today, you can ensure that you are keeping your household safe.”
