Don't let white goods leave a black mark written by
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue 1474890961
on the 26
th September 2016 at 12:56
- Posted in Fire Blog
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue service is urging the public to be aware of the possible dangers from kitchen appliances.
The service is supporting the Chief Fire Officers Association's (CFOA) UK Home Safety Week, which runs from 26 September to 2 October.
Between April 2015 and March 2016 there were 263 fires involving kitchen appliances in the Tyne and Wear area, ranging from cookers and microwave ovens to washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers.
Register your appliances
All appliances carry a risk of causing fires, but maintenance and correct usage can greatly reduce the risk. Registering a product is also a good way to ensure you are not using faulty goods. New and old appliances up to 12 years old should be registered so that you can be notified directly if a product is recalled by the manufacturer or a safety repair is needed.
All appliances can be registered in one place at www.registermyappliance.org.uk which also lists models that are subject to a product recall.
Group Manager Dave Jefferson, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: "One of the main ways people can avoid fires caused by appliances is to not leave items such as washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers unattended while they are operating. This means not leaving them running when nobody is in the house or when the household goes to sleep at night.
"It's also important for every home to have working smoke alarms and for everyone to be aware of an escape plan in the event of a fire. Our advice is always to get out, stay out and call 999."
Have a home safety check
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service offers free home safety checks to people who are more vulnerable to having a fire, as well as to those who have had a fire. This includes checking that people have working smoke alarms, that they are in the right place and fitting smoke alarms if required.
It also includes ensuring that householders have an escape plan in place should a fire break out in their home and that they are aware of the importance of a safe night time routine, such as closing doors, unplugging electrical equipment and safe disposal of cigarettes.
Safety advice provided by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service helped save a man and his home when a suspected electrical fault caused his washing machine to catch fire.
Arthur Butler, of Bellamy Crescent, Sunderland, was doing his laundry on Thursday, 8 September when the cable to his washing machine caught fire. Mr Butler evacuated the property, closing the kitchen door on his way out, before dialling 999.
Two fire crews from Marley Park and Washington Community Fire Stations attended the incident and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using a hose reel.
Mr Butler said: “I had a free home safety check from the fire service two years ago, and I remembered the advice I was given about closing doors and getting out of the house if there was a fire. I've got four smoke alarms fitted and they all worked, so if I had been in another room or outside I would have known there was a fire.â€
Another family, from Eastwood Gardens in Felling, were grateful for the fire safety information they received from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service when clothes in their tumble dryer overheated and combusted on Tuesday, 20 September.
Michelle Jatta, her partner and her four children heeded the advice given during a home safety check six months ago. They were able to escape unharmed after the smoke alarms in their home were activated by the fire.
For more information on how to stay safe from fire or how to request a home safety check visit www.twfire.gov.uk or www.facebook.com/twfrs or www.twitter.com/tyne_wear_frs or call 0800 0327777.
