Fire crews have issued safety advice about tumble dryers after one caused a fire at a house in Chester.

The incident happened yesterday (Tuesday, October 3) at a property on Stamford Court in Littleton just before 3pm.

Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus put out the fire and had to extract the tumble dryer from the property.

As a result, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued fire safety tips for the safe use of tumble dryers, and signs that it may not be properly ventilated.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue have issued safety advice about tumble dryers

Safety advice

Some simple fire safety tips for the safe use of tumble dryers:

  • Remove the lint from the trap after every load of clothes dried
  • Do not cover the vent or any other opening
  • Ensure the vent pipe is free of kinks and is not crushed in any way
  • Only used 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.

Signs that your tumble dryer is not properly ventilated:

  • Clothes take a very long time to dry, especially heavy articles of clothing such as towels or jeans
  • Clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of the cycle
  • The flapper on the vent hood remains closed when the dryer is on