A tumble dryer which caused a building to explode was one of thousands being recalled over safety fears, the homeowner has confirmed.

Eastern Daily Press: A tumble dryer which caused a building to explode was one of thousand’s being recalled over safety fears, the homeowner has confirmed. Photos: Matthew Nixon and WikicommonsA tumble dryer which caused a building to explode was one of thousand’s being recalled over safety fears, the homeowner has confirmed. Photos: Matthew Nixon and Wikicommons (Image: Archant)

On Wednesday a man was hospitalised after his Indesit tumble dryer burst into flames and caused an explosion by igniting aerosol cans that caused an entire wall of his home to collapse.

The tumble dryer, a December 2016 Indesit model, is one of hundreds of thousands being recalled by parent company Whirlpool over safety fears.

According to Whirlpool, 79 fires have so far been attributed to a fault in their appliances' heating elements and door lock systems.

READ MORE: House collapses after tumble dryer explosion causes fireDavid Netherall, owner of the property on Green Lane, said: "The tumble dryer was an Indesit, comparatively modern new appliance, I purchased it exactly three years ago - December 2016 - installed properly with proper venting, and I just can't believe it could have happened.

"Clearly, the owner of the appliance was registered, if there was any recall necessity I would have thought they would have contacted him."

About 20 per cent of Whirlpool washing machines and tumble dryers made since 2014 are affected by a fault that can cause the door locking system to overheat, creating the risk of a fire.

Mr Netherall said: "I think people need to be very vigilant, and check your own appliances.

"And also consider things apparently innocuous like domestic aerosol cans, they can be lethal if there's fire. I'm just really relieved my tenant has survived this. It's devastating."

Describing what happened on Wednesday, Mr Netherall said: "[The explosion] burst doors internally and blew windows out. I've been in regular contact with Richard, the tenant. He is still in the hospital, in Broomfield, being treated for burns.

"He's in remarkably good spirits given the circumstances. I just can't believe it's happened really. I'm just so relieved he's effectively in one piece.

"The structure is in a very unstable dangerous condition, it's got to be braced with scaffolding to ensure there's no further deterioration, and we're going limiting heavy traffic nearby because the vibration might bring it down."

Whirlpool and Hotpoint have been contacted for comment.