Dishwasher Fire

Recalled Dishwasher Causes $70,000 In Damages.

CCFR encourages registering products for recall awareness.

When a St. Peters resident left a home on Hidden Lake Drive last week there were no clues that a running dishwasher inside the house was a fire waiting to happen. Two hours later, the kitchen was engulfed in flames, with smoke spewing from the first and second floor windows.

“It is estimated that the fire caused $70,000 in damages to the home and it’s contents,” says Central County Fire & Rescue (CCFR) Chief Russ Mason. “Luckily, no one was injured in the blaze.”

Further investigation showed that the appliance was part of recall that was issued by BSH Home Appliances Corporation for Bosch® and Siemens® Model Dishwashers in January 2009. An electrical component in the dishwashers have a problem with overheating, posing a fire risk.

“This particular fire highlights the importance of registering any product you bring into your home,” says Mason. “The information you provide allows companies to contact you with important safety recall details, sometimes years after you have purchased a product.”

There is no evidence to show the dishwasher that caused the fire was registered, and the owners were not aware of the recall.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission provides regular product recall information on their website http://www.cpsc.gov. “It is a good idea to look through the recalls to make sure you don’t have any of these dangerous products in your house,” says Mason.