Owners of tumble dryers sold under the Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit brands have been warned not to use the machines at all until they have been repaired.
Whirlpool, which owns all three brands, originally issued a warning to customers in October 2015 stating that the machines were safe to use as long as they were monitored. Following advice from Trading Standards new guidance has been issued which says that the machines should be unplugged and not used until they have been repaired.
The tumble dryers are thought to have been to blame for a series of fires across the country, including one high-profile blaze in a block of apartments in Shepherd's Bush, London.
It is thought the fires start when excess fluff builds up inside the machine and comes into contact with the heating element.
A statement on the Whirlpool safety website says:
"If your tumble dryer is affected by this issue, then you should unplug it and do not use it until the modification has taken place."
The affected dryers were manufactured between April 2004 and September 2005 under the Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline brands.
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