Notts: Fire service issue warnings following series of laundry fires in county

It is thought that these fires were caused by laundry being taken directly from a tumble dryer and stored whilst still hot.

NFRS is therefore issuing the following advice to people, and particularly businesses, using tumble dryers:

- Ensure wash temperatures and detergents are suitable for the optimum removal of oil based contaminants.

- Allow laundry to complete the cooling cycle in the tumble dryer.

- Shake out laundry to ventilate before folding or place garments on hangers.

- Hot, slightly damp materials should be hung up and allowed to cool before folding.

- Ensure the lint filter is cleaned regularly according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

- Ensure that when the laundry is stacked the pile is well ventilated.

“This advice applies primarily to premises who undertake laundering of cotton materials including aprons, tea towels, cloths and chefs’ whites that are often contaminated with organic cooking oils,” said NFRS group manager John Mills.

“These oils can auto-ignite if dried and stored without being allowed sufficient time to cool in the tumble dryer.

“Cotton material is a particularly flammable substance and is susceptible to ignition not only by a direct flame, but also from an exothermic reaction that can occur as a result of pre-heating in a tumble dryer or from oil contamination,” he added.