Defective dryer

Defective tumble dryer caused major fire

The roof had to be opened in order to fight the fire.(Bild: FF Eichkögl)

Presumably a faulty tumble dryer caused a fire in a house in Eichkögl (district of south-eastern Styria) on Sunday night. The noise of the fire woke the sleeping occupant, who was able to escape outside with her three children in time.

At around 10.45 pm, a fire broke out on the upper floor of the detached house in the district of Ebersdorf. The 53-year-old occupant was asleep on the couch at the time when she was suddenly awakened by loud noises coming from the adjoining room.

Tumble dryer on fire
The Styrian woman opened the door to the room and saw the heavy smoke and the fire in the area of the tumble dryer. The 53-year-old tried to extinguish the fire, but it was already too late. Together with her three children, she fled outside and alerted the emergency services.

Six fire departments were deployed.(Bild: FF Eichkögl)

Dramatic operation
The six fire departments (Eichkögl, Fladnitz, Kirchberg a.d. Raab, St. Margarethen a.d. Raab and Takern II, supported by the turntable ladder from the Feldbach fire brigade) were deployed until the early hours of the morning. In order to successfully fight the fire, the fire department had to open the roof cladding. "The greatest danger was being hit by falling debris," explains the commander of the Eichkögl fire brigade, Christian Donnerer.

Fortunately, no one was injured, but there was considerable damage to the detached house. The upper floor is believed to have been completely burnt out. Further investigations into the cause of the fire are being carried out by the local police.