“The above raises concerns that unless the model… and any wider product safety implications are further examined, circumstances creating a risk of future deaths may continue. “
A coroner has raised concerns about the safety of a Hoover tumble dryer following the death of a father and his nine-year-old daughter in a fire, saying 1.6 million machines may share the model’s characteristics.
Sohaib Ahmed, 38, and his daughter Manahal died following a blaze at their home in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, on June 8 2025, according to a report issued by coroner Martin Fleming.
Mr Fleming’s prevention of future deaths report outlines how an inquest in July “found more likely than not that the source of the fire in the kitchen was a DX C10DCER-80 Hoover branded condenser tumble dryer, albeit that the specific mechanism and circumstances of the ignition within the dryer remain undetermined and unclear”.
The coroner said: “The above raises concerns that unless the model… and any wider product safety implications are further examined, circumstances creating a risk of future deaths may continue.
“It is my understanding that the Office for Product & Safety Standards (OPSS) has received a significant number of product fire notifications from the fire services across the UK involving this model.
“Of concern is that 1.6 million of current Hoover & Candy branded condenser or vented tumble dryers may share this model’s characteristics.”
The coroner continued: “I also heard that two experts have described how this particular type of tumble dryer may burn almost completely once the fire becomes established, making later identification of the initiating defect extremely difficult.”
Mr Fleming found that it could not be determined whether the ignition resulted from tracking, defective solder joint, heater relay failure or another internal electrical failure, and has left him concerned that “that this may indicate a potentially serious mechanism failure that cannot be identified from available evidence, and therefore cannot be readily prevented”.
He wants the company to consider investigating the model and similar incidents “with a view to identifying any recurrent failure modes, alteration to the design, issue of technical service bulletins or a recall or safety campaign”.
And he wants the company to “consider whether it is appropriate that the sales of the model are halted” pending this analysis.
The coroner outlined how a neighbour became aware of smoke coming from the house on Russell Close at about 6.06am and firefighters arrived at 6.19am.
Mr Ahmed was immediately found unresponsive behind the front door, along with another of his daughters who was seriously injured in the blaze but survived.
Manahal was found on the floor in a rear first floor bedroom.