Mum-of-two’s horror as her flat is gutted in another devastating blaze caused by Hotpoint tumble dryer
Melissa Dooley, 34, has been forced to move out of her Nottingham home after her machine caught fire
A MUM-OF-TWO watched helplessly as her flat was gutted in a devastating blaze - sparked by yet another faulty tumble dryer.
Melissa Dooley, 34, has been forced to move out of her home after her Hotpoint dryer caught fire.
The accident came as it emerged the manufacturers had failed to recall faulty machines, putting lives at risk.
Melissa - a health and social care student from Nottingham - had been sorting out her washing when she noticed smoke starting to billow out of the back of the machine.
She dragged the £200 dryer - bought last year - against the wall and was forced to flee from the room when it burst into flames.
Slamming the kitchen door shut, she rushed her three-year-old son and nine-year-old adopted sister to safety, before ringing the fire service.
Melissa said: ''I stood outside screaming as l was watching my belongings burn away.
''I saw the black smoke coming out of front door, my bedroom window. I was hysterical. I didn't know what to do.
"It was terrifying."
The entire kitchen has been damaged by the smoke and the majority of the family's clothes - which were inside the dryer at the time - were ruined.
Melissa added: ''I felt so helpless. Just thinking about it makes me cry.
“I have always taken pride in my home and to see it like that is completely heart-breaking.”
Related Stories
This week it emerged that Whirlpool - which sells appliances under the Indesit, Creda and Hotpoint brands - had failed to recall potentially faulty machines, despite them being linked to 750 home fires.
Leon Livermore, chief executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute has warned that Whirlpool's refusal to issue a recall is putting lives at risk.
Melissa said: "People need to be aware of these dangers and it’s only recently that we've learnt this very make of dryer was at risk.
"The company were fully aware of this and instead of recalling them they are just playing Russian roulette with people's lives and homes.
"Something needs to be done. Surely the manufacturers have a duty to keep people safe.
"We could have died if I hadn't have noticed so quickly. It's frightening to think about it."
Melissa - who did not have contents insurance - was checked over by a paramedic but fortunately did not suffer any injuries.
She said: ''I'm not too bothered about the dryer or the clothes - it's those things that cannot be replaced like pictures and sentimental family items that have been passed down through generations."
Melissa, her young son Thomas and 19-year-old son Jack are now living on a sofa at her mum’s house.
She has been in contact with Hotpoint and the company have said they will be visiting the flat on Friday to find out what caused the fire.
Mum Celia, 62, said: "It's putting a lot of stress on the family because my house is now completely overcrowded.
"Her little boy is so confused and keeps telling us he is scared of fire.
"He's having nightmares all the time."
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said three fire engines were called to the blaze at 7.18pm on Tuesday May 24.
He added: "No one was injured and the area was made safe by 9.05pm."
In February it emerged millions of homes in Britain were at risk of catching fire due to faulty tumble dryers made by some of the industry's leading brands.
A freedom of information request revealed there were 925 fires between 2011 and 2013 caused by tumble dryers, according to data from fire brigades across the UK.
The FBU issued a warning to machine manufactures to improve their levels of safety.
The Sun has contacted Whirlpool for comment.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368