A Basingstoke mum lost her home to a devastating tumble dryer fire (Image: Electrical Safety First)
A woman who watched her house burn in the rain after her tumble dryer caught has warned about the terrifying consequences.
Mandy Ebury, from Basingstoke in Hampshire, had to move to a temporary accommodation with her family weeks before Christmas due to an accidental .
The mother of five explained how the images of the worrying incident “will never fade away”. The incident occured in the late November when she had planned to tumble dry the washing.
She loaded the dryer and set it to its usual setting – however, her daughter raised an alarm after 10 minutes when she complained of a burning smell.
She said: “As I walked into the hallway, I was met by thick black smoke coming from behind the tumble dryer. I screamed and screamed to the kids to get out of the house.
“My daughter Lola helped make sure my autistic son got out of the house, as well as our four dogs and then she called the fire service. I don’t know how she managed to stay so calm.”
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Accidental electrical fires involving washing machines across England increased by 7% (Image: Electrical Safety First)
The family immediately left the house in panic as they watched a plume of smoke coming out of it.
The fire service was immediately called but when they opened the door there was nothing but fire. The entire family stood in the rain as they watched their home getting burned.
Ms Ebury said: “My son and I had no shoes on. We stood in the rain dumbstruck. One of our neighbours came out and took us into her home, where she supplied hot tea. I felt afraid and anxious and angry because I felt I hadn’t been able to save my family’s home from the fire. I will never forget that day. It will be with me forever.
“After the fire we seemed to be in a ‘no man’s land’ of emotions. It hadn’t quite sunk in that we were homeless. We were very much in shock.”
With no other option, all of them were moved to temporary accommodation, where they ended up spending Christmas as well as New Year.
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Ms Ebury said: “We tried to make the best of a bad situation, brought a small tree and put gifts under it. It was hard trying to stay positive but we did it.
“Being a close-knit family really helped us through this time. We’re still in our rooms. The housing association are doing their best but it’s definitely one of the worst New Years I’ve experienced.
“It’s going to be a while before we get our home back, maybe even a year. It’s having a huge impact on our mental health. My daughter has counselling now. The images will never go away.”
The shocking incident comes as the latest analysis of Home Office fire data by the charity, , showed that last year 1,140 accidental electrical fires involving common household white goods, such as tumble dryers and washing machines, occurred in areas across England – the equivalent of three fires per day.
ESF is urging households to take simple measures to reduce their risk of a white goods fire, including; the maintenance of appliances, cleaning lint filters, registering appliances in case they are recalled, checking for damaged or frayed wires and not overloading extension leads.
Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First, said: “We can all take just a few minutes to reduce the chances of one of these frightening fires from happening in our homes. Make sure you regularly clean lint filters on dryers and register appliances so that in the event they are recalled you can be contacted by the manufacturer.
In total, accidental electrical fires involving tumble dryers, washing machines, fridge freezers, dishwashers and washer/dryer combined appliances have steadily declined over the last four years.
However, more than half of the 43 fire and rescue service regions in England saw an increase in fires linked to white goods. Accidental electrical fires involving washing machines across England increased by 7% versus the previous year.
Jamie Cousins, station manager at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Electrical fires present a real risk across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, often causing significant damage to the homes of residents and sometimes leading to the most tragic of consequences.
“If a fire were to break out, the effects can be devastating if they are not detected early enough, especially if this happens overnight. It’s so important to use electrical appliances and devices correctly – overloading sockets, using the wrong chargers, and not checking the wiring on items are all common causes of fires in the home, yet are all easily avoided.”