Several tumble dryer brands recalled over fire risk

Home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool has announced a recall of tumble dryers made before September 2015, over fire safety risks.

The warning relates to a number of models, including Indesit, Hotpoint, Creda, Swan and Proline dryers, built between 2004 and 2015.

The dryers pose a fire risk, due to potential lint build up around the heating element in the machines, if they have not been modified by the manufacturer. Whirlpool branded tumble dryers are not affected by the problem.

In a warning released by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on Monday, anyone with an affected brand is advised to unplug their machine immediately and stop using it.

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“If your dryer was made before September 2015 and you have not had it modified by the manufacturer, it may pose a risk of fire,” the notice said.

The potential fire risk came to light when Whirlpool bought home appliance firm Indesit in 2014, which also included the Hotpoint brand.

Following an internal review of the Indesit appliances the potential issue with the tumble dryers came to light. The safety review found in rare cases lint build up by the appliances’ heating element could pose a risk of fire.

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The company began a safety campaign in 2015 to modify affected models, but has now expanded the scheme to a full recall.

Customers who believe they have an affected machine can check online at indesithotpointsafety.com, or by calling a helpline set up at 1 800 804 320.

Whirlpool announced a range of measures for affected customers, such as a free replacement dryer, a free engineer call out to modify the appliance and fix the issue, or a refund for an amount based on the age of their machine.

Customers can also avail of an option to upgrade to a newer dryer for a discounted price, the company has said.

Jeff Noel, the vice president of Whirlpool, said the appliance manufacturer was "committed to doing the right thing for our consumers and will continue to take every action possible to resolve this issue.

“The crucial message is please contact us immediately if you still own one of these tumble dryers and haven’t already had it modified or replaced by us,” he said.