Fire Service statement on Tumble dryer fire in Haverfordwest

ON Sunday, 11/10/2020 at 02:44pm, crews from Haverfordwest and Milford Haven attended a fire at a flat, in Market Street, Haverfordwest.

The fire was confined to a utility room and firefighters extinguished the fire using six breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet. The property was also ventilated using a positive pressure ventilation fan.

A male casualty was taken to hospital by the Ambulance Service.

The Police were also in attendance.

The Fire Service left the incident at 06:25pm.

The fire was found to have originated from a tumble dryer.

Group Manager Karen Jones, Head of Community Safety for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said “Whilst more of us will be using our tumble dryers to dry our laundry during the autumn and winter months, it is important that they are used and maintained correctly in order to reduce the risk of fire. If you do use a tumble dryer, please heed the following advice:

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the use and maintenance of the appliance and clean out the lint trap regularly.
Don’t overload plug sockets – the high wattage for a tumble dryer means that it needs its own 13-amp socket. Keep an eye out for any scorching or burn marks, including checking any visible electrical wires.

Don’t leave appliances unattended – don’t turn the tumble dryer on before you leave the house or go to bed. Tumble dryers contain powerful motors with fast moving parts that can get very hot.

Keep your dryer well ventilated, make sure the vent pipe is kink free and not blocked or crushed in any way.

Always allow each drying programme, including the ‘cool down cycle’, to complete fully before emptying the machine. If you stop the machine mid cycle the clothing will still be hot.

Don’t ignore warning signs – if you can smell burning or clothes feel hotter at the end of cycle, stop using your appliance and have it checked out by a competent person.

In the unfortunate circumstance of a fire, a working smoke alarm can alert you and your family to the danger and save your lives. Please make sure you have smoke alarms correctly fitted and that you test the alarms regularly, we recommend once a week.”