Firefighters issue white goods safety reminder following fires in Hackney and Edmonton

Firefighters have issued a reminder of their white goods safety advice following two fires in Hackney and Edmonton.  

The first fire happened on Friday afternoon (14 February) in a residential block of flats on Clifden Road in Hackney. Part of a communal kitchen on the ground floor was damaged by the fire. Around 25 people left the building before the Brigade arrived. 

The second fire occurred at a terraced house on Bulwer Road in Edmonton on Sunday morning (16 February). The ground floor was destroyed and a small part of the first floor was damaged by the fire.  

Both fires are believed to have involved tumble dryers. 

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “These two fires over the weekend serve as an important reminder to make sure that your white goods aren't a hidden fire hazard in your home. Thankfully, no one was injured at either fire and it's thanks to the hard work of crews that both incidents were resolved quickly.  

"If your white goods start making strange noises, don’t ignore it. If you think there’s a problem always unplug it and contact the manufacturer or a qualified repair technician. 

“Most fires where white goods are the source of ignition are not down to anything you have done – so always make sure you register your appliances as you’ll be informed if any issues are identified with the product you’ve bought.” 

Control Officers took the first of three calls to the fire in Hackney at 1540 and mobilised four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Homerton, Stoke Newington and Bethnal Green fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 1636. 

The first call to the fire in Edmonton was received at 0034 on Sunday morning. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Edmonton and Tottenham fire stations were mobilised. The incident was over for firefighters at 0209.  

Practical steps for white goods safety: 

• If you are concerned about the safety of a product stop using it and make your concern known to the retailer, manufacturer or your local Trading Standards office. 

• Clean your tumble dryer filter after every load. 

• Don't overload sockets with lots of energy-hungry appliances – follow the one plug per socket rule. 

• A list of recalled products is available on the gov.uk Product Recall page. 

• Take extra care with second-hand appliances, ensure they have been safety checked and are not listed on the product recall register. 

Always make sure new appliances are registered so that manufacturers can contact you in the event of any problems – it takes minutes to registermyappliance.org.uk