Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) continue to urge the public to be mindful of using clothes dryers by following these simple safety steps when using your dryer:
• Clean your lint filter before each use.
• Never leave the dryer operating when you leave the house or
when sleeping.
• Ensure there is adequate air flow around your dryer.
A fire can take hold in minutes.
Lint is susceptible to spontaneous combustion; these miniscule fibers are highly combustible and are the perfect fuel for fires. Lint's combustible nature puts commercial laundry facilities at risk for fire disasters.
In the case of the Batehaven laundry fire that destroyed 90% of the premise it is understood that the fire may have been caused by spontaneous combustion of items that had been pulled from the dryer while warm, and left together had caught alight by spontaneous combustion. Fortunately no-one was hurt and the adjacent businesses only suffered slight smoke and water damage.
Image: Fire and Rescue NSW Station 384 Moruya
Spontaneous combustion is caused by a chemical process called oxidation which occurs when a substance combines with oxygen. Oxidation creates heat, and if the heat can’t be removed (for example, by air flow) the temperature of the substance continues to increase until it reaches its ignition temperature and catches fire.
Oxidation can occur naturally among warm or damp fabrics during the laundering process. There are a few common factors that can increase the chance of spontaneous ignition.
- Cotton fabrics that are coated or contaminated with vegetable oils, including cleaning rags, dish cloths, towels and aprons
- Warm or damp linen being stored in a warm area
- Exposure to heat sources like hot pipes or tumble dryers
- Lack of ventilation for compressed or folded laundry
- Exposure to direct sunlight
- Detergents that contain oxidising chemicals
If possible, it’s best to only tumble dry laundry while someone is present, and will have time to empty the dryer as soon as it’s finished, and cool and store the laundry. Leaving dryers or hot laundry unattended means that if a fire does start, it might be some time before you catch it.
Image: Fire and Rescue.
