4 days Ago
Urgent warning over common household appliance after two London deaths By DAN WOODLAND and JOHN ELY DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE Published: 09:05, 18 November 2024 | Updated: 09:07, 18 November 2024 e-mail View comments A man whose family was killed in a house fire due to a faulty tumble dryer has urged others to check their machines for potential dangers. Pavan Bhatt lost his grandmother Champagauri, 86, and uncle Dipak, 66, in March last year after an electrical fault within the Hotpoint machine sparked a devastating blaze inside their north London home. The 30-year-old was returning from work when a panicked neighbour called to say his home was on fire.
Pavan raced back as fast as he could and found find the house ablaze, with emergency services already on the scene. Sadly his two family members, who both had disabilities, couldn't be saved. They were believed to have been asleep when the fire started and died from smoke inhalation.
Pavan told The Sunday Times: 'When someone buys a tumble dryer, they're not buying it thinking, "I've just put a potential bomb in my house". His case isn't an isolated one. More than 5million dryers under Whirlpool's Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit labels had a design fault that caused at least 750 household fires between 2004 and 2015.
It comes as another common feature of British homes has been linked to deaths — trendy kitchen counter tops. Pavan Bhatt lost his grandmother and uncle in March last year after an electrical fault within a Hotpoint tumble dryer sparked a devastating blaze inside their north London home (pictured) Champagauri Bhatt, 86, and her son Dipak Bhatt, 66, (pictured together) tragically lost their lives when a blaze broke out at their home in Edgware, north London on March 29 last year Pavan is also calling on Whirlpool, which is owns the European division of the Hotpoint brand, to recall the model that caused the fire at his home (File image) Growing numbers of doctors have warned about the risks of the dust expelled from quartz kitchen worktops, that are now seen in kitchens up and down the country. One British stoneworker has already died from a disease called silicosis where tiny particles of stone are inhaled dust during the cutting process.
Once in the lungs these particles can build-up and ravage the lungs, causing internal scarring and inflammation. Silicosis suffers — which so far have just been those who work with the stone — have increased risk of infection, have dangerously reduced lung effectiveness meaning their the organs struggle to function correctly, and can suffer potentially fatal organ failure. In the last year, there have been 11 UK cases including one death from the progressive disease which can only be cured by a lung transplant.
One sufferer is father-of-three Marek Marzec , who said the lung disease silicosis has left him 'unable to breathe' and 'in terrible pain'. Speaking from his hospital bed Mr Marzec, who is too ill to undergo a life-saving lung transplant, said he is demanding Mr Marzec, who is too ill to undergo a life-saving lung transplant , said he is demanding 'urgent' safety changes to prevent others from dying after simply 'doing their job'. Marek Marzec has been left terminally ill at 48 after spending a decade working with quartz worktops at a stone manufacturer Expensive quartz worktops are made from one of the hardest minerals on earth which, when processed, results in the release of potentially harmful particles of fine dust Silicosis, via the fine particles workers inhale, causes internal scarring and inflammation of the lungs.
Pictured silicosis of the lung tissue under magnification As a consequence of the recent fire tragedy Pavan is calling on Whirlpool to recall the model that caused the fire at his home. Fires linked to Whirlpool's Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit labels have previously been linked to deaths and near misses in 2014, 2016 and 2018. In 2019, following public outcry, Whirlpool confirmed that some of its Hotpoint and Indesit models needed to be recalled.
The coroner looking into Pavan's family's deaths has said he will be releasing a Prevention of Future Deaths report calling for the risk assessment process for tumble dryer manufacturers to be reviewed. He added that Whirlpool should provide all relevant data about certain mechanical faults to HM Coroner and the Office of Product Safety and Standards, so they can fully establish the cause of the fire. Meanwhile, Pavan is considering launching a civil claim for compensation against Whirlpool himself after being rendered homeless after the inferno.
Whirlpool told The Sunday Times that the safety of its products was its 'top priority' and extended its 'deepest sympathies to the Bhatt family', The company added: 'We are actively reviewing the coroner's conclusions in detail and will remain in constant dialogue with the regulatory authorities.' The inquest earlier this year heard from three forensic experts, each selected by Whirlpool, Bhatt and LFB. The investigator chosen by Whirlpool suggested there could have been an 'external' cause to the fire - possibly a cigarette butt, seeing as Pavan's uncle was allowed to smoke two cigarettes a day, while supervised.
The other two believed it was caused by a machine fault, with one saying it was an issue with the dryer’s pump, while the other said it was down to an electrical fault at the door switch of the tumble-dryer. Leigh Day partner Thomas Jervis, who represented Pavan at the inquest, said: 'The Whirlpool Hotpoint tumble dryer that caused this tragic fire and cost my client the lives of two of his closest relatives, was purchased brand new just six months earlier.' Read More Grandmother, 86, and her disabled son, 66, died in house fire that may have been caused by an electrical fault on the door switch of tumble dryer 'It is plain to see that, despite Whirlpool's previous track record of fires being caused by its faulty appliances, the company has failed to learn vital lessons around fire safety in relation to its products.
'It is time the company took greater responsibility for the safety of its customers and recalled this particular model of tumble dryer as well as any others where there may be safety concerns. 'This is not the first time I have represented families at inquests into deaths caused by fires involving Whirlpool Hotpoint appliances. If urgent action is not taken, I fear it may not be the last.
' MailOnline has contacted Whirlpool for comment. New York Times London Share or comment on this article: Urgent warning over common household appliance after two London deaths e-mail Add comment.
