The London Fire Department is warning people about appliance safety after a fire that was sparked by a dishwasher that may have been the subject of a recall.
Firefighters were recently called to a condominium in southwest London where fire had broken out in the kitchen. Residents of the home were safely outside when crews arrived. When firefighers went inside, they saw smoke coming from around the dishwasher. Luckily, one of the residents had shut off power to the house as they were escaping.
Damage was limited to the area around the dishwasher and the appliance itself. It was after the fire was put out and the home was ventilated that fire officials found that the dishwasher, sold under the brand name "Viking," was possibly subject to a recall. According to the fire department, there have been 26 incidents related to this brand of dishwasher in which fires have caused property damage. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.
“This fire could have been far worse if the occupants had been sleeping or left the house with the dishwasher running”, says Deputy Fire Chief Jack Burt. “When using major appliances such as dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, people should be conscious of the possibility of fire and monitor them while in use. We also want to remind people to ensure they have working smoke alarms on every level of their home to give them early warning of in the event of a fire.”
Details of the recall can be found here.