The parents of a newborn baby boy have told how they snatched him to safety in the middle of the night after a fire broke out.
Darren Evans and Lucy Crossley were asleep at 3.30am in Fell Grove, just off Long Hill Road, Sheepridge, when the drama began.
Darren, 30, said: “I’m a chef and I’d put my work clothes stuff in the tumble dryer. It was in the early hours and Charlie, our 14-year-old son, said he would turn it off before he went to bed.
“He came upstairs earlier than usual saying his eyes were stinging, it was really strong. I came downstairs and opened the living room door and you could see all the smoke there, my eyes were burning.
“I shut the door and Lucy and I grabbed the kids, our newborn Alfie who is eight-weeks-old and Poppie who’s nearly two.
“The fire service arrived and we all went to Calderdale Royal Hospital for a check up and were given oxygen.
“It was very scary but fortunately we were given the all clear. My things in the tumble dryer, which we only bought in November, were completely burned.
“We have smoke alarms but for some unknown reason they didn’t go off. The fire crews tested them while they were here. Our other daughter Ellie, who’s 10, was stopping overnight with her grandma so she missed all the drama.”
The fire crews from Huddersfield and Rastrick fire stations fought the fire from 3.20am and then carried the malfunctioning dryer outside.
The fire was tackled using one hose reel and two breathing apparatus and then a big positive pressure ventilation fan was needed to blow the smoke out of the house.
Lucy, 36, added: “It was traumatic. My eyes were streaming, I knew there was something wrong. My only thought was to get the kids out as fast as possible. I’m so relieved that they’re all right.”
There have been concerns about tumble dryers and their potential as fire hazards in recent years.
Earlier this year it was reported that as many as one million tumble dryers built in a factory near Bristol were potentially dangerous.
A parliamentary report found white goods made by manufacturer Whirlpool have caused at least 750 fires since 2004.
Whirlpool alerted authorities in 2015 that fires could be caused by fluff catching on a heating element in dryers marketed under its Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda and Proline brands.
And firefighters say anyone who uses a tumble dryer needs to take regular precautions to prevent their appliances from catching fire.
One problems is a build up of fluff that collects around the motor of the dryer, which can cause it to melt and catch fire.
To use tumble dryers safely the fire service say:
* Do not use while sleeping or when away from home
* Remove lint from the machine after every load of clothes that you dry
* Do not cover any vent or openings on the machine
* Sweep or vacuum areas around the dyer to prevent fluff build up
* Clean them regularly; either wiping for a wet cloth or condenser models need to have heat exchangers cleaned at least five times a year.
