Checks carried out on dryer linked to fatal fire

A tumble dryer importer urged to carry out a safety review after one of its appliances was linked to a fatal house fire has said the model in question does not pose an "elevated" safety risk.

Sohaib Ahmed and his daughter, Manahal Nazir Ahmed, died when a fire broke out at their West Yorkshire home, with their DX C10DCER-80 Hoover condenser tumble dryer deemed "more likely than not" to be the cause.

Following an inquest coroner Martin Fleming called on Haier Smart Home UK Ltd to investigate, saying 1.6 million other machines may share the model's characteristics.

In response, the company said it had carried out extensive tests on all similar units and found "no systemic safety issue".

Sohaib Ahmed, 38, was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire in Russell Close, Heckmondwike, on 8 June last year, while Manahal, nine, died in hospital later the same day. Her older sister, though seriously injured, survived.

A narrative verdict was recorded following an inquest at Bradford Coroner's Court, with both deaths attributed to smoke inhalation.

Fleming noted it was unclear whether the Hoover dryer was operating at the time, but said it was "more likely than not the source of the fire", though he added that "the specific mechanism and circumstances of the ignition within the dryer remain undetermined and unclear".

As a result, in a prevention of future deaths report sent to Haier UK he urged them to conduct a "root case analysis" and to consider whether to remove the particular model from sale.

In the report, he said 1.6 million current Hoover and Candy branded condenser or vented tumble dryers may share the characteristics of the model found in the Ahmed home.

He said: "I found that the evidence cannot determine whether the ignition resulted from tracking, defective solder joint, heater relay failure or another internal electrical failure, such that my concerns are that this may indicate a potentially serious mechanism failure that cannot be identified from available evidence, and therefore cannot be readily prevented."

He said that if action was not taken there could be a "significant risk of future deaths".

In its response, Haier UK said it had completed a review of the DX C10DCER-80 dryer and found "no elevated safety risk in relation to this model" and had received no fire safety notifications about the model, other than the fire at the Ahmed home.

It said it had also carried out a wider review of its condenser tumble dryers and found "no systemic safety issue arising from the concerns that you raised".

It went on to say that that DX C10DCER-80 had not been in production since the beginning of 2022, and, following its reviews and assessments, it had concluded it would not be "appropriate" to halt sales of the dryer or similar models.

The company pledged to "monitor, contribute to and adapt to regulatory developments and improvements relating to tumble dryer product safety", adding: "We thank you for providing us with the chance to explain what we have done, and are doing, to prevent the risk of future deaths.

"We express again our condolences to the family and friends of Sohaib and Manahal."

A copy of the report was also sent to The Office for Product & Safety Standards.

Responding to the coroner it said it had launched a regulatory investigation into Haier UK's "compliance with its obligations under the product safety regulations" earlier this year,.

It added: "OPSS remains fully committed to establishing the full extent of any risks associated with condenser and vented tumble dryers, ensuring that businesses meet their legal obligations, and taking whatever regulatory action is necessary to protect consumers and prevent future harm.

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