I hope not to have a repeat of the last 24 hours! It was my daughters eight birthday party and we allowed her to have 10 friends over for a camp over party. That alone is stressful enough trust me! Combine that with the Eurovision Song Contest and torrential rain and I was grateful to be sleeping in the house on my own whilst Wendy slept out with the girls. What a night that was. Apparently the girls finally got to sleep at 12:30 and woke up from 5:20! Wendy made them breakfast to eat outside at 7:30 and then came into the house, loaded the dishwasher and put it on. She then went back down the garden. Meanwhile I remain in the land of nod upstairs, dreaming car stuff (naturally)! But this reverie is rudely awoken by the smoke alarm going off. I get out of bed and leave the bedroom with a first reaction of what has Wendy burnt on the cooker. But I see black smoke pouring out the kitchen and as I go down the stairs I see 18 to 24 inches of flames above the dishwasher and smoke down to just above my head! I am able to go into the kitchen and by using the sink tap put out the fire without too much hassle. Water and electric fires? Anyway moving swiftly on.... Then I open all doors and windows to get rid of the smoke. But the amount of smoke for the amount of fire damage is very disproportionate. The control panel of the dishwasher is now a big hole. Above, the beech worktop had been properly alight and molten plastic from the dishwasher had fallen to the floor and had actually set alight the bottom half of the dishwasher. Our kitchen has an 11 ft high ceiling so for the smoke to get down to above head height and to go out the door and up the stairs indicates just how much smoke there was. Wendy came up the garden anyway just after I had put the fire out so if the smoke alarm had not gone off I like to think that she would have been able to wake me up by shouting to enable me to have gotten out, but the fire would have been much worse given an extra 5 minutes. I suspect that we would not have been able to have put it out ourselves and by the time the fire brigade would have arrived, the amount of damage would have been dramatic. As it is it just new worktops and a new dish washer. And a awful lot of cleaning up to do. The stink in the house is pretty horrid too, quite acrid. However before I let this one go, have you checked your smoke alarms recently? If not, hope you don't learn the hard way. I am feeling quite grateful mine worked when they did.
Today I was saved by my smoke alarm!
- Thread starter Malcolm
- Start date
Malcom,
That could have turned into a real disaster! Very happy to hear that no one was injured and of the limited damage. I agree that smoke alarms should be checked at least annually. As an added precaution prior to my SL-C build, one was installed in the garage with a large capacity ABC fire extinguisher that is easily accessable.
Again, Thankfully no one was hurt!
That could have turned into a real disaster! Very happy to hear that no one was injured and of the limited damage. I agree that smoke alarms should be checked at least annually. As an added precaution prior to my SL-C build, one was installed in the garage with a large capacity ABC fire extinguisher that is easily accessable.
Again, Thankfully no one was hurt!
Your Lucky Indeed !
A few years back I had the same thing happen with a dishwasher as well.
And it was only a couple of years old.
I was lucky I was still in the kitchen at the time.
Sparks started shooting out of the motor underneath it.
Mine was made by G.E.
I don't have one by G.E. any more !
Cheer's
A few years back I had the same thing happen with a dishwasher as well.
And it was only a couple of years old.
I was lucky I was still in the kitchen at the time.
Sparks started shooting out of the motor underneath it.
Mine was made by G.E.
I don't have one by G.E. any more !
Cheer's
Very sobering! While building our dream home, we had an electrical fire. I just happened to come out and check on someting when I smelled smoke. Luckily a hole of a quarter was burned in the hardwood floor and was easily fixed.
Yes, we are looked after sometimes!
Yes, we are looked after sometimes!
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Good to hear everyone is O.K. Malcolm, it could have been much, much worse. My smoke detectors are hard wired but you have reminded me to go test them. Thanks.
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Frightening Malcolm. I am a neurotic worrier about fires having been in hotel fires. Smoke is always the ultimate killer.
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Malcolm, can we ask the manufacturers name for the dishwasher?
Malcolm
Like everyone else has expressed, glad you and your family are okay and the house is more or less okay.
I think we all become complacent in the modern world and that is easy to do. I admit I am paranoid about certain things, but I never stray far from any heat-generating and/or high wattage device when it is running, such as a dishwasher or clothes washer/dryer. Even the slow-cooker; I'll never set it to making soup and run into town even for a 1/2 hour. To tell you the God's honest truth, I'm not really that comfortable with furnaces, either (seriously, it's bascially a more-or-less controlled blowtorch). I know, as I said, paranoid, but your experience with the dishwasher is a perfect example.
Again, glad you are okay.
Eric
Like everyone else has expressed, glad you and your family are okay and the house is more or less okay.
I think we all become complacent in the modern world and that is easy to do. I admit I am paranoid about certain things, but I never stray far from any heat-generating and/or high wattage device when it is running, such as a dishwasher or clothes washer/dryer. Even the slow-cooker; I'll never set it to making soup and run into town even for a 1/2 hour. To tell you the God's honest truth, I'm not really that comfortable with furnaces, either (seriously, it's bascially a more-or-less controlled blowtorch). I know, as I said, paranoid, but your experience with the dishwasher is a perfect example.
Again, glad you are okay.
Eric
Dave Wood
Lifetime Supporter
That is a very good question, one I'd like to know. I need a new dishwasher and that sounds like one I might avoid.
Malcolm,
scary stuff, and glad that you all were ok.
I heard in the past about dishwasher fires, don't know if they are more prone than other appliances, but guys, if you google 'dishwasher fire' see how many manufacturers names come up. I think that it's maybe the model numbers to avoid that might be more relevant than manufacturer.
Dave
scary stuff, and glad that you all were ok.
I heard in the past about dishwasher fires, don't know if they are more prone than other appliances, but guys, if you google 'dishwasher fire' see how many manufacturers names come up. I think that it's maybe the model numbers to avoid that might be more relevant than manufacturer.
Dave
Malcolm, I'm glad you are well.
As I emailed Malcolm, I have in my central hall way(outside the master bedroom) and at the top of the staircase where the kids bedrooms are, a smoke detector. I advised him and to you guys as well, make sure your detector is rated for CO as well as IR. We have set ours off on occasion due to a side draft vent on our island cook top. It happened one night preparing for supper and my son(about 10 or 12) came screaming down the stairs and out the front door(in his underwear). We haven't let him forget it since!!
Bill
Bill
Hi Malcolm
I'm so glad that you and your family are ok, bet your glad you had a smoke alarm fitted eh! We have 6 in our house, my brother in law is a fireman and some of the 'jobs' he has been to make you realise just how easy it is to be complacent.
I am as equally paranoid about my car catching fire. I have 2 hand held extinguishers in it, and i have just plumbed in a lifeline system for the engine bay. I was working on it yesterday and noticed that the fuel line was leaking, you just never know! I've seen the remains of a Lotus Elise that caught fire, there was hardly anything left!
All the best with the clear up, hope you manage to get rid of that smell.......
Jas
I'm so glad that you and your family are ok, bet your glad you had a smoke alarm fitted eh! We have 6 in our house, my brother in law is a fireman and some of the 'jobs' he has been to make you realise just how easy it is to be complacent.
I am as equally paranoid about my car catching fire. I have 2 hand held extinguishers in it, and i have just plumbed in a lifeline system for the engine bay. I was working on it yesterday and noticed that the fuel line was leaking, you just never know! I've seen the remains of a Lotus Elise that caught fire, there was hardly anything left!
All the best with the clear up, hope you manage to get rid of that smell.......
Jas
A close shave Malcolm, and hopefully your last experience of fire. Do please let us know make and model.
I have been a fire investigator in the UK since 1984 - both fire service and in private practice. Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people who have dishwashers, washing machines and tumble driers on timers to come on during the night to make the most of cheap rate electricity - some have had to jump from windows! The fire service are very good in the UK in respect of free supply and fit of smoke alarms. Although I already had some, they recently attended and replaced mine with smoke detectors that have a guaranteed 10 year battery life.
I also specialise in vehicle fires, a subject close to all our hearts. I've never known a small hand held fire extinguisher to put out a 'developing' car fire. My advice has always been to get out and leave it to burn (there are obvious exceptions). The reason for this is due to the number of problems that can occur afterwards with insurers. Did you know that even with fully comp cover, one insurer does not cover fires caused by electrical or mechanical faults - no names but you know who you are RBS. Check your small print. If the fire has completely destroyed the car it is much harder to prove the cause than if you manage to put it out - leaving the evidence behind. I know I'd much rather have the insurance payout than be left with a half-burned heap.
Apparently, from a statistical point of view, we all have one brush with fire during our lifetime. Hopefully, Malcolm, you've just had yours.
I have been a fire investigator in the UK since 1984 - both fire service and in private practice. Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people who have dishwashers, washing machines and tumble driers on timers to come on during the night to make the most of cheap rate electricity - some have had to jump from windows! The fire service are very good in the UK in respect of free supply and fit of smoke alarms. Although I already had some, they recently attended and replaced mine with smoke detectors that have a guaranteed 10 year battery life.
I also specialise in vehicle fires, a subject close to all our hearts. I've never known a small hand held fire extinguisher to put out a 'developing' car fire. My advice has always been to get out and leave it to burn (there are obvious exceptions). The reason for this is due to the number of problems that can occur afterwards with insurers. Did you know that even with fully comp cover, one insurer does not cover fires caused by electrical or mechanical faults - no names but you know who you are RBS. Check your small print. If the fire has completely destroyed the car it is much harder to prove the cause than if you manage to put it out - leaving the evidence behind. I know I'd much rather have the insurance payout than be left with a half-burned heap.
Apparently, from a statistical point of view, we all have one brush with fire during our lifetime. Hopefully, Malcolm, you've just had yours.
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
Steve,
Thank you. Sage advice.
Thank you. Sage advice.
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