Around 85,000 households in the UK will receive a visit from their tumble dryer manufacturer due to fire safety concerns. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has announced a remedial programme for heat pump models by Haier and products manufactured by Haier, sold under brands including Baumatic, Candy, Caple, Hoover, Iberna, Lamona, and Montpellier.
The OPSS stated: "The UK manufacturers have initiated a modification programme for products in scope of the safety issue. The companies will visit every home containing affected tumble dryers and make them safe." Owners are urged to check if their model is affected and, if so, disconnect it from the mains and refrain from using it until repairs are carried out.
UK Government fire data shows tumble dryers are responsible for 884 fires each year, averaging more than 16 per week. Electrical Safety First analysis indicates white goods are linked to at least three accidental fires daily across England. In Wales, tumble dryers accounted for 57% of all appliance fires over the last three years.
Additionally, experts warn of a growing risk from vape devices being accidentally left in clothing before tumble drying. With around 5.5 million UK adults using vapes, the recent ban on single-use disposables has pushed users towards smaller rechargeable pod systems, increasing the chance of lithium-ion batteries entering dryers. Vape-related fires have risen by 348% across the UK from 2020 to 2024.
