House and Christmas presents ruined as recalled washing machine bursts into flames

Kerry Trow and her family were forced to flee their house in Middletown, between Welshpool and Shrewsbury, when the Hotpoint appliance burst into flames in the middle of the night.

The fire, in the early hours of Wednesday, came just hours after the model was listed in a mass recall of washing machines – but Kerry did not know about it until later that day.

She said: "I had been up quite late and I had put on a load of washing. I pottered around for about half an hour and then I had gone upstairs.

"The next thing I knew, the smoke alarms were going off.

"I went downstairs to find out what was going on.

"Our washing machine is in a big walk-in cupboard under the stairs and I just saw flames coming from the cupboard.

"I ran back upstairs. My first thought was to get everyone out and get everyone safe, and get help.

"It was a total shock, there was quite a bit of smoke in the house but luckily we weren't in there for too long."

'Amazing' firefighters

Kerry rang 999 and firefighters were on the scene within 15 minutes. The fire had all-but burnt out by the time the three crews arrived, but the house had suffered extensive smoke and heat damage.

Kerry said: "When I tried to get out of the house I realised the keys were in the kitchen, so I had to run past the fire twice. As I ran past I shut the door of the cupboard which they said stopped it spreading.

"There was significant damage to the hallway and ceilings and some damage to the stairwell."

All windows were opened in order to clear the fumes, causing further smoke damage throughout the house.

Kerry said the firefighters who came to her aid were "amazing", and she is encouraging people to make sure they have working smoke alarms, which she credits with saving her family's lives.

Generosity

She also thanked people for their incredible generosity in donating to a fundraising page set up by Kerry's mum to help towards replacing damaged Christmas presents.

More than £800 had been donated by 34 people at the time of writing, taking the total comfortably past the initial £500 target.

Kerry, who is staying with family for the time being, said: "There is never a good time for something like this to happen, and you don't think it will, but it has happened at a time when you have Christmas presents from friends and family in the house.

"I have managed to salvage some presents I bought, but there are things that are too badly damaged.

"Since it happened I have badgered all my friends and family to make sure their alarms are working.

"I had gone upstairs but I wasn't asleep, I had no idea what was happening until the alarm went off.

"The main thing is that we were unharmed. We were lucky to get out so quickly."

Kerry's washing machine was one of the 39 Hotpoint models being recalled by Whirlpool, which is also recalling three Indesit models. It is estimated that around 519,000 washing machines could pose a risk.

Kerry said the company will call at her home next month to investigate.