Tumble dryer blaze in Southsea leads to fire safety warning

A TUMBLE dryer blaze in a shed has sparked an urgent safety warning from firefighters.

Three fire crews were called to St Paul’s Road, Southsea, in the early hours of yesterday after the machine burst into flames.

It had been switched on at 10pm and left overnight in an outdoor shed when the fire started at about 4am.

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Fire crews spent an hour fighting the blaze, which damaged the shed and nearby garages.

They used two breathing apparatuses and two high-pressure hoses, eventually extinguishing the flames at 5am.

Southsea watch manager Jamie Wren said the situation could have been worse and has urged caution.

He said: ‘The owner left the tumble dryer running from 10pm and it had been burning for quite some time before they realised.

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‘We don’t recommend that people leave appliances on overnight.

‘If a fire does begin it can be extremely damaging and can be potentially fatal.’

Additional advice from the fire service includes never leaving a tumble dryer running unattended as well as making sure the filter of the machine are regularly cleaned.

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