A FAMILY had a narrow escape after a blaze, believed to be caused by tumble dryer, ripped through two floors of their Droitwich home.
Fire crews from Droitwich, Worcester and Bromsgrove were called to Woodman’s Rise during the early hours of Saturday (January 27) morning.
On arrival crews were met with a developing fire involving both the ground and first floor of an end terrace property.
The residents discovered the fire in the rear of the house, raising the alarm and quickly escaped
and remained outside.
Multiple crews wearing breathing apparatus were deployed to tackle the blaze and to stop it spreading to the adjoining property.
HWFRS crews extinguished the fire with hosereel jets, cutting away and removing debris.
Crews evacuated neighbouring properties in conjunction with colleagues from West Mercia
Police.
Watch Commander Chris Jelfs said: “The family did the right thing by getting out immediately and
staying out until we arrived. The fire is believed to have been caused by a tumble dryer.
“Some simple safety tips to help prevent tumble dryer fires are: Remove the lint from
the trap after every load of clothes is dried, do not cover the vent or any other opening, ensure
the vent pipe is free of kinks and is not crushed in anyway.
“Only use recommended vent pipes and not improvised ones, only vent the warm air to the outside of a building, do not put rags or materials into your tumble dryer if they have been used to soak up flammable liquids.”
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) recommend smoke alarms are fitted and are tested weekly, as part of their commitment to reducing the number of fires in the home.
HWFRS offers free Home Fire Safety Checks to residents across the two counties.
For a check please contact Community Risk team via an on-line form or call 0800 032 1155 for advice.
