ESSEX Firefighters were called to Gainsborough Avenue, Tilbury this morning after a tumble dryer set alight and spread to five outbuildings.
Station Manager Jason Gould said: “When crews arrived they found a well developed fire which had spread to five outbuildings. This was also starting to spread to a nearby house but the quick actions of crews stopped it from spreading further.
“Unfortunately the outbuildings have been severely fire damaged.”
A fire investigation has found that the cause was an electrical fault in the tumble dyer.
Although this fire was caused by a fault in the appliance, there are a few safety tips to stay safe:
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
Don’t use tumble dryers at night or while unattended
Ensure that the appliance has its own plug socket. Do not overload extension leads. Ensure that no more than 13 amps are in any one plug socket
We recommend that residents register appliances they have at home through Register My Appliance. It’s a free scheme that you can sign up to and be the first to hear about known faults and recalls. It only takes a few minutes to register. To register your appliances, visit: www.registermyappliance.org.uk/registration/.
