A family of four is lucky to be alive after their dishwasher burst into flames in the middle of the night. Simone Anderson, from Topeka, Kan., loaded the dishwasher one evening and turned it on before going to bed. Little did she know that at 1:25 a.m., the dishwasher would be on fire and would burn down the kitchen. Fortunately, the smoke detector went off, waking the family and allowing them to get to safety. The fire caused thousands of dollars in damage and destroyed the kitchen, leaving the family to find somewhere else to live for up to 6 months while cleaning and restoration takes place. While the couple has home insurance, it doesn’t cover all the costs, and they are left with $3,500 out-of-pocket expenses, not including additional moving fees. Turing on your dishwasher at night is a common mistake many people make, and the majority aren’t aware of the risk of the appliance overheating and igniting a fire. Experts say you should only run your dishwasher during the day when you are at home. This applies not only to dishwashers, but to washing machines and dryers as well.
