A Saffron Walden family has been left homeless after a fire broke out at their house.

A fire, starting in a tumble dryer, broke out in a home in Whiteshot Way on Saturday evening (July 9).

Firefighters arrived to find an outbuilding on fire and the family’s home was heavily smoke-logged.

Due to the damage, the house is inhabitable and the Red Cross Victim Support unit was sent to help the family.

The family was alerted to the fire by a fire alarm and was able to get out of the house without harm.

Station manager Paul Curtis said: “Incidents like this show the importance of a working smoke alarm in your home. Smoke alarms provide vital early warning at the first sign of fire giving you and your family time to get safely out of the building.”

“The fire was caused by the family’s tumble dryer. We are urging everyone who owns a tumble dryer to take extra care when using their appliances.”

The fire service recommends the following tumble dryer safety advice:

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions

Don’t use tumble dryers at night or while unattended

Clean the filters after each use to ensure they do not become blocked with fluff

Items should be removed from the dryer immediately after the cycle and shaken loose to assist cooling

Ensure that the appliance has its own plug socket. Do not overload extension leads. Ensure that no more than 13 amps are in any one plug socket.