Woman issues warning after leaving house while washing machine was running
A woman has issued a fire safety warning to others after leaving her washing machine running while heading out for a school run – narrowly avoiding a huge disaster
A woman has issued a stark warning to others after narrowly avoiding a disaster caused by her washing machine. She took to TikTok to share footage of her appliance smoking during a cycle.
"I have had this washing machine for six years no problems," she explained in caption alongside her clip. "Came back from the school run, was going to sort out dinner [when] we heard two very loud bangs from washing machine. I then started to see smoke coming from the washing machine. I quickly turned it off from the main switch." The woman pointed out it appeared to have stemmed from the machine's belt rather than the motor.
"Thank God I was in the house or this could have ended differently," she admitted. "I have learned my lesson."
And she elaborated: "It was on a spin cycle the smoke was coming out before I even opened the door, as soon as the bang happened it smelt like burning rubber."
Others were quick to point out that electrical appliances should never be in use while nobody is home.
"People don’t realise that appliances like washing machines are classed as attended appliances and shouldn’t be left running while out or asleep," one TikTok user said.
A second person advised: "If it uses a heating element, be it a toaster, dryer, oven, washer NEVER leave it in attended... the only household item that can be left unattended is your home heating system."
While a third concurred: "Should never leave anything on that doesn't need to be especially when you go out, so many phone chargers go up it's ridiculous but washers dryers fridge/freezers in fact anything that plugs in can start a fire anytime."
And a fourth recalled a similar experience: "This happened to me, like you thankfully I was upstairs too. Drum had dropped and the friction of the rubber caused smoke. Other than the fridge I never leave any appliances on unattended, can be so dangerous."
Meanwhile, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued lengthy advice when it comes to appliance safety. "Tumble dryers and washing machines contain powerful motors with fast moving parts that get very hot," they warned. "If you don’t clean and maintain your machine, excess fluff or lint can build up over time and catch fire."
There are a number of warning signs to watch out for:
- Does your tumble dryer smell of burning?
- Are your textiles taking longer to dry?
- Do the dried items feel hotter at the end of the cycle?
- Does the external vent flap stay shut when the dryer is on?
If you notice any of the above, clean the filter and check the vent pipe immediately.
In addition, remember to:
- Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions before using your dryer.
- Never leave your appliance unattended or running overnight.
- Never put rags or materials into your tumble dryer if they have been used to soak up flammable liquids.
- Keep your dryer well ventilated, ensuring the vent pipe is kink free, not blocked or crushed in any way.
- Never cover the vent or any other opening, and only use recommended vent pipes and not improvised ones.
- Clean the filter in your dryer after every use.
- Only vent the warm air to the outside of the building.
- Have your dryer serviced regularly by a qualified engineer.
- Always have working smoke alarms installed in your home and test them regularly.
The fire service added: "Our advice is to never use tumble dryers and washing machines overnight; there is a risk of fire if these appliances develop a fault, and if this happens when people are sleeping, the risk to life is far greater."