Fire officers in Cambridgeshire are encouraging the public to check their dishwashers after crews were called to two dishwasher fires on 22 February 2016.
The fire service reports that there have now been five incidents involving dishwasher fires in the last five months, with Station Commander Dave Allen commenting: “Like a car, electrical appliances need to be regularly checked so any possible defects, such as black burning marks around the plug, loose cables or any snags in the casing exposing wires, can be spotted early. If you see anything like this you should stop using your dishwasher and get it checked out. We also advise not using dishwashers when you are sleeping or if you leave the house, as any fire will take longer to discover and damage will be greater. We also advise this for washing machines and tumble dryers.”
Mark Smith, owner of MS Electrical Services, concurs. “At MS Electrical we’re passionate about electrical safety and we urge not just our customers but the general public at large to respect all their appliances,” he says. “Leaving appliances running while you’re in bed or out shopping is very dangerous – so much so that we’d even suggest keeping an eye on appliances such as dishwashers and tumble dryers regularly when they’re running.”
Should you have any concerns about electrical safety within your home or office environment, MS Electrical are here to help. From assistance with PAT testing and fixed wire testing to emergency lighting and smoke alarms, please call us on 01223 850301 / 01353 665106.
