Tumble dryer firm Indesit admits 750 fires have been caused by its faulty appliances over the last 11 years 

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A domestic appliance maker has admitted that 750 fires going back 11 years have been caused by faults in its tumble dryers.

Italy’s Indesit sold millions of the affected machines across Europe under the Indesit, Hotpoint and Creda brands. Most of the fires were contained within the machines, but others spread to cause enormous damage.

Indesit said at least two householders had suffered smoke inhalation injuries and a third was burnt. Many more people had to run for their lives and a number of pets died.

Last night it emerged that owners will have to wait up to five weeks before hearing when their machines will be made safe. 

Dangerous: Italy’s Indesit sold millions of the faulty tumble dryers across Europe under the Indesit, Hotpoint and Creda brands. Pictured, a Hotpoint tumble dryer which burst into flames

The Chief Fire Officers Association said kitchen appliance blazes were a major cause of call-outs, triggering call-outs across the UK every day of the week. 

It called for an improved system of product safety recalls.

Spokesman Andy Reynolds said: ‘Manufacturers should not be selling any products that are not safe.

'A tumble dryer is the sort of thing people put on before going to bed. But that creates a risk and people may die as a result.' 

He said the current system for product safety recalls does not work because manufacturers have no system to contact purchasers.

‘Only 20-30 per cent of electrical products involved in a recall are fixed. The rest are sitting in people’s homes,’ he said.  

The body is calling for people buying large appliances to register the purchase, including their address, at the point of sale. This will allow companies to trace machines if a safety problem emerges.

The consumer campaigner Lynn Faulds Wood is carrying out a Government review of how product safety recalls work and is considering backing this idea.

Last night it emerged that owners will have to wait up to five weeks before hearing when their machines will be made safe. Pictured, the Indesit headquarters

Insurance giant NFU Mutual said yesterday that its biggest fire claim associated with a tumble dryer fire amounted to £320,000.

One customer, Terence Dawson, a retired consultant electrical engineer, described Indesit’s handling of the issue as ‘disgusting’.

He realised there was a problem with Hotpoint tumble dryers at the beginning of last year and raised it with the company then, but was ignored.

Mr Dawson found the filter design on a machine owned by his daughter was flawed with the result that fluff and debris could fall into the back, putting it close to the heating element.

He then found a similar problem on his own Hotpoint machine, which is one of the appliances involved in the safety alert.

‘They must have had numerous problems with this design. It is a serious fire risk,’ he said.

‘I contacted Hotpoint to draw their attention to this, but I got the run around. One department after another said they couldn’t do anything about it.’

Mr Dawson, 71, from Burton on Trent, said: ‘It is disgusting. I just find it astonishing that the company did nothing about this for many years. It is just disgraceful.’

Daily Mail readers complained about poor customer service at Indesit and the delays in getting machines modified.

The law firm Leigh Day is representing a number of people who have been the victims of house fires, or lost loved ones in fires, linked to household appliances.

The Chief Fire Officers Association said kitchen appliance blazes were a major cause of call-outs, triggering call-outs across the UK every day of the week

Solicitor, Jill Paterson, said: ‘We have continually called for manufacturers of household appliances to identify problems early and make greater efforts to contact consumers who have purchased products that they have identified as being potentially dangerous.’

‘This latest recall underlines the urgent need for changes to the UK’s product recall system. We don’t yet know how long the company has known about the potential fire risk with these products, but a joined-up regulatory system may have highlighted the issue earlier.’

Indesit admitted there have been hundreds of fires.

It said: ‘To date there have been approximately 750 reports of product failures that appear to be associated with this issue. The majority of these incidents have not resulted in fires external from the dryer.’

It added: ‘Indesit is initiating a phased outreach and service campaign, contacting consumers so that arrangements can be made to modify their appliance if affected.

‘In the meantime, people should continue to use their appliances, but until updated, we would advise them to follow the original instructions for using the appliance and not to leave the appliance unattended during operation. They should also check the lint filter after every cycle and ensure proper venting, as directed in the original operating manual.’