Electrical fault in tumble dryer causes fire and spreads to five outbuildings

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/.