{"id":154994,"date":"2025-06-03T14:24:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T14:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/154994\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T14:24:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T14:24:13","slug":"washing-machines-responsible-for-most-white-goods-london-fires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/154994\/","title":{"rendered":"Washing machines responsible for most ‘white goods’ London fires"},"content":{"rendered":"

Washing machines caused the most white good fires in London in 2024, according to London Fire Brigade data, highlighting growing concerns over appliances safety in homes across the capital.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: Canva<\/p>\n

Every year, fires break out in London homes due to everyday household appliances \u2013 washing machines, dishwashers and fridges collectively known as white goods.<\/p>\n

Data from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) reveals a steady number of incidents linked to these essential items, highlighting an often-overlooked fire risk inside the home.<\/p>\n

Nearly one fire a day in London involves white goods, according to the LFB.<\/p>\n

Although the number of white goods-related fires has decreased since 2016, the figures remain concerning.<\/p>\n

\"\"Made with: Flourish<\/p>\n

In 2016, the LFB attended 303 such incidents \u2013 a number that peaked at 361 in 2018.<\/p>\n

Since then, the trend has generally decreased with 234 fires recorded in 2024.<\/p>\n

This represents a 35% decrease from the 2018 peak indicating progress, though the number of fires remains a concern.<\/p>\n

Despite the overall decline, the type of appliances responsible for these fires remain largely consistent.<\/p>\n

In 2024, washing machines were the leading cause, with 73 recorded incidents.<\/p>\n

\"\"Made with Flourish<\/p>\n

Tumble dryers followed closely, including 45 standard models, 40 condensing dryers and 5 heat pump variants.<\/p>\n

Cooling appliances also featured, with 10 fires caused by freestanding fridge-freezers, highlighting that even low risk items can still present dangers.<\/p>\n

In total, white goods were involved in 233 fire incidents across London last year.<\/p>\n

Beyond the type of appliances, the specific brand or manufacturer can also be a factor in fire incidents.<\/p>\n

The LFB records brand information when available and repeated mentions of certain brands across multiple years have raised concerns about faulty components or lack of product recalls.<\/p>\n

This highlights the importance of consumer awareness and industry accountability.<\/p>\n

Which boroughs are most affected by appliance fires?<\/strong><\/p>\n

While appliance type and manufacturer play a crucial role in fire risk, where these incidents occur is equally important.<\/p>\n

The 2024 data reveals notable disparities across London Boroughs with areas like Lambeth, Bromley and Croydon reporting the highest numbers of white goods-related fires.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: Flourish<\/p>\n

In 2024, Lambeth recorded the highest number of white goods fire incidents with 15 recorded followed by Bromley (13) and Croydon (12).<\/p>\n

Other boroughs with relatively high figures include Southwark, Barnet, Hillingdon and Waltham Forest.<\/p>\n

In contrast, some areas like the City of London and Harrow reported just one or two incidents.<\/p>\n

Residential properties dominate fire incidents<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alongside the geographical trend, the type of property where these fires happen offers further insight into the risks.<\/p>\n

The LFB data shows that residential properties account for the vast majority of the white goods-related fires in London.<\/p>\n

\"\"Made with Flourish<\/p>\n

Standard dwellings alone make up 44% of all recorded incidents since 2009.<\/p>\n

Purpose built flats or maisonettes contribute another 29% while converted flats account for 11% of incidents.<\/p>\n

Combined, these three residentials categories represent nearly 85% of all white goods fire incidents.<\/p>\n

The remaining cases are spread across property types such as retail, food and drink establishments, residential homes and medical care facilities, showing that while less frequent, risks persist in non-residential settings.<\/p>\n

With the vast majority of these fires occurring in homes\u2013especially in standard horses and flats\u2013 the data underscores how closely the issue is tied to everyday domestic life.<\/p>\n

Beyond the numbers, Londoners like Sushmita Roy living in East London, share their experience and concerns about white goods safety.<\/p>\n

Roy said: \u201cLike many London renters, most of the appliances in my flat are quite old and I actually inherited them from the landlord when I moved in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m aware that white goods like washing machines and tumble dryers can cause fires, but I don\u2019t always feel confident about how to check if they\u2019re safe or recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI usually look up recall information online, but I\u2019ve never actually received a safety notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy said that she sometimes leaves the washing machine running when she is out and tries not to worry about the risks.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIt would definitely make me feel safer if landlords or property managers carried out regular safety checks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do my best to clean lint filters and keep appliances in good shape, but it\u2019s not always easy with older machines.<\/p>\n

Sushmita\u2019s experience highlights common challenges faced by many Londoners when it comes to managing the safety of household appliances.<\/p>\n

To help reduce the risk of fires caused by white goods, the London Fire Brigade offers practical safety tips every homeowner and tenant should follow.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Preventing white goods fires: essential safety advice<\/strong><\/p>\n

The London Fire Brigade advise anyone who thinks their appliance is unsafe to stop using it and immediately report the concerns to the retailer, manufacturer or local Trading Standards office.<\/p>\n

Regular maintenance is essential by cleaning the tumble dryer filter after every use to prevent lint buildup, a common fire hazard.<\/p>\n

\"\"Source: Canva<\/p>\n

The LFB also encourages people to stay informed by checking the government\u2019s product recall list, especially when buying second hand appliances.<\/p>\n

Featured image source: Canva<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Washing machines caused the most white good fires in London in 2024, according to London Fire Brigade data,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":154995,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[65874,748,393,65875,65876,4884,65877,65878,257,138,16,15,65879,65880],"class_list":{"0":"post-154994","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-appliance-safety","9":"tag-britain","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-fire-incidents-2024","12":"tag-fire-prevention-tips","13":"tag-great-britain","14":"tag-home-fire-safety","15":"tag-household-fire-hazards","16":"tag-london","17":"tag-london-fire-brigade","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom","20":"tag-washing-machine-fires","21":"tag-white-goods-fire-risk"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114619893002657522","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154994"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154994\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}