THE FIRE Service has warned against leaving tumble dryers on at night, following a fire in Westhoughton.

It comes after a family was forced to flee their home when their appliance burst into flames at around 3.10am yesterday morning at a home in Manchester Road.

The family managed to evacuate the building and nobody was injured in the incident, although the dryer was completely destroyed and the property was left with damaged after the room where the fire started was engulfed in smoke.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) confirmed that crews from both Bolton Central and Atherton stations were called to the scene after the fire was reported.

“People were in the house at the time but everybody had already evacuated by the time we arrived,” they said.

“Two appliances attended from Bolton, with one coming from Atherton.

“There was some smoke damage to the property.”

Firefighters dealt with the incident within an hour and left at 4.10am but warned that the incident should stand as a reminder to people to be careful when using large appliances at night.

They added: “We’d like to get the message out there to not put your tumble dryer on at night, or if you’re not in the house.”

GMFRS has dealt with an increasing number of fires involving tumble dryers in recent months and, while the most recent incident did not result in any injuries, firefighters have repeatedly warned homeowners to take the issue seriously.

Due to the growing number of fires, the service has released official advice on what to do in your home to avoid incidents:

  • Ensure that lint is removed after every load of clothes is dried.
  • Make sure you do not cover the vent or any other opening.
  • Make sure that you sweep or vacuum the areas around the dryer regularly to prevent fluff build up.
  • Do not use tumble dryers while sleeping or away from home.

A spokesman for the service said: “Tumble dryers have been around for a long time, and used safely they can be a useful addition to your household.

“However, if fluff is allowed to accumulate in the filter, near blocked vents, and at the rear of your dryer you increase the risk of this fluff catching fire from the heat created by the dryer.”

In addition, there has been some recent concern about specific models of dryer which were previously recalled by manufacturers due to fears that excess fluff would frequently cause fires. This refers to two types of tumble dryers manufactured by Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda between April 2004 and September 2015. The models were recalled in 2015 but firefighters fear many units were not dealt with.

The affected products do not have to be removed but homeowners can arrange for an engineer to visit their property and        modify the appliance for free, which takes around an hour.

Anyone concerned about the tumble dryer in their homes should visit: www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk.