Leicester toddler hit in the face as washing machine explodes
A youngster was hit in the face by a flying drawer when his mother's washing machine exploded, wrecking most of their kitchen.
Mum Sarah Blackshaw, 33, of Braunstone, Leicester, said two-year-old Harry and his four-year-old brother, Charlie, were playing in the kitchen on Thursday afternoon when the appliance blew up without warning.
-
Fears: Sarah Blackshaw, from Braunstone, with her son, Harry and the washing machine
"There was a terrific bang," said Sarah.
"Harry was facing the washing machine and the front of the drawer hit him just below the eye.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
"I took him to the doctor who said that if it had been an inch higher it would have been right in his eye."
She said Harry, who escaped with a black eye, was now frightened to go into the kitchen.
Charlie was not injured in the incident, but went to pre-school the next morning talking about how the "naughty washer" had hurt his brother, said Sarah.
The explosion blew the sides from cupboards next to the machine, made a large dent in a dishwasher and damaged a worktop.
Sarah said the washing machine's metal drum was dented and all the plastic around it had been completely ripped off by the blast.
"When my seven-year-old daughter, Sarah, came home from school, she couldn't believe what had happened," she added.
"It was like something from a war zone."
"I remembered that two Indesit models, the WIXL143 and WIXE 167, had been reported on the BBC programme Watchdog as having faults, but when I checked on the company site there was nothing about my machine, a model IWC 6165," said Sarah.
Watchdog says on its website that it has received "a number of complaints" about exploding Indesit washing machines.
It says that one customer, in Suffolk, heard an "almighty bang" and when she went to investigate found that "the top of the machine had been raised, the front dials had been pushed out of the machine, the door had been blown open and the impact of the force had lifted the top of the kitchen cabinet and moved her oven", while "inside, the drum had come loose and was left buckled and twisted".
Sarah contacted Indesit and was told her damaged washer would be collected and she would be given a free replacement.
"They asked me to get quotes from carpenters about the damage to the kitchen," she said.
"The problem is, if I am given a new Indesit washer, who is to say the same thing won't happen with that one?
"There was no warning about my previous machine, which I bought about two years ago, so how can I be sure the replacement will be safe?"
An Indesit spokesman said: "We were sorry to hear Ms Blackshaw has experienced a problem with her washing machine.
"Our customer service team has been liaising closely with her in order to resolve the matter and ensure that she is satisfied with the outcome. We take all customer inquiries seriously and deal with each on a case by case basis. We would like to inform consumers this problem does not affect any Indesit models on sale today."
Watchdog advises anyone who owns the models in its programme, WIXL143 or WIXE167, or has any concerns, to contact Indesit customer services on 01733 287 843 or by e-mailing:
support@indesit.com
Comments
by NathanBailey
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 3:28PM
“Wow that doesn't sound very nice for the poor children! Happy they are both ok though, thank god. At the risk of sounding rude (which I don't mean to), tbh the children should not be playing in the kitchen on their own! When I was young I did that and that's how I ended up with the Iron burning my hand!
Thanks and best wishes Nath@http://tinyurl.com/co4z5l9”
by hteethhte
Sunday, December 09 2012, 10:41PM
“The doctor said that if it had been an inch higher it would have been right in his eye."
On the strength of that the manufacturer could be taken to the cleaners.”
by burnmw1987
Sunday, December 09 2012, 6:21PM
“@oldhenry - My understanding (having seen the piece recently on BBC1's Watchdog) is the it doesn't "explode" as such. When appears to happen is that the drum comes loose from its mounting points and simply catapults the concrete weight (designed to minimize vibrations from the drum) out through the top of the machine.
Basically it self-destructs and ejects parts of itself out from all over the place - including the drawer!
One such example on Watchdog showed that the concrete block had almost broken straight through the inch thick work top that the washing machine was under neath.”
by Red_Ned
Sunday, December 09 2012, 3:27PM
“QUOTE Drink driving is serious but not that serious END OF QUOTE
You're joking right?”
by oldhenry
Sunday, December 09 2012, 11:19AM
“How strange. But why did it explode? What is in Indesit machines that makes them explode? Usually you need an explosive material to make an explosion, i.e. a gas , solid , or liquid, that rapidly expands when ignited by some means- a detonator.
I would like to know as I want to avoid it happening in my house , any one have any realfacts about this?
As gor playing in the kitchen, well that is what kids so but the cooker is the dangerous item in a kitchen, usually rather than the washing machine but some children have been known to climb into the drum , and endlessly fiddle with teh knobs. So a kitchen is not a playground- nor is the garage.”
by ukguy1
Saturday, December 08 2012, 9:14PM
“aamum, are you serious?
Have you ever considered that some people have dining kitchens? Not only that, with the kids in the kitchen, they can't get up to mischief while mum gets on with other household chores.
Not everyone has a poky kitchen with a cold tiled floor and a twin tub.”
by aamum
Saturday, December 08 2012, 6:35PM
“This should never of happened and the machine is to blame however,children should not be playing in a kitchen! at 2 and 4 there should be a safety gate keeping them out.”
by graydjames
Saturday, December 08 2012, 6:25PM
“Redcat makes a very valid point and I don't know why Housepet should question it. Unfortunately Redcat this is in contrast to your somewhat overt the top, irrational comment on drink driving. Drink driving is serious but not that serious.
It sounds to me as though Indesit have done a good job in putting matters right.”
by redcat
Saturday, December 08 2012, 5:00PM
“My comment was just that the kitchen is not the safest play area in a house, and whatever type of washing machine you have people should perhaps be aware of letting young children play in there. According to ROSPA most serious accidents to children aged 0-4 happen in the kitchen (and on the stairs). Even if this lady gets another type of washing machine -as she says she wants- it may be safer for her younger children to play in another room anyway until they are older.”
by Housepet
Saturday, December 08 2012, 4:28PM
“What sort of comment is that?”