Tumble dryer fire alert after incident in Hurstpierpoint

The fire was suspected to have started within clothing and linen that had been tumble-dried.

No injuries were caused however the fire resulted in significant heat and smoke damage to the premises.

Station manager Simon Foster, for Business Fire Safety, said: “Folding and stacking hot clothing or linen straight from the tumble dryer means the heat cannot escape.

“In some instances the heat can create temperatures that are hot enough to ignite a fire.

“We urge everyone, whether you run a business or are at home using a domestic tumble dryer, to always use the cooling cycle on your machine or to let the clothes and linen air before folding and putting them away. This allows the heat to disperse and the risk of fire diminishes.”

Here are some tips from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

Do:

• Make sure that washing temperatures and detergents are appropriate for the best removal of oil based contaminants

• Let laundry complete its cooling cycle in the tumble dryer

• Shake out laundry to ventilate before folding or placing garments on hangers

• Thoroughly clean tumble dryers on a regular basis

Don’t:

• Place warm laundry in polythene bags, plastic containers or in poorly ventilated areas

• Leave freshly laundered fabrics stacked overnight

• Forget to test your smoke alarm – only working smoke alarms give an early warning to a developing fire