Recalled dishwasher believed to be cause of fire

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 its contents,” said 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, fire officials said. Adding, 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,” Mason said. “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 its Web site at 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,” Mason said.