Malfunctioning Dishwasher Causes Millburn Fire: Register Your Appliances, MFD Urges

The Millburn Fire Department is using a recent home fire to illustrate an important safety concept… register your appliances.

“Recently, a small kitchen fire damaged a Millburn home,” the MFD stated in a release on Oct. 21. “The apparent cause was a malfunctioning dishwasher. Millburn Fire Department investigators learned that the appliance’s manufacturer had issued a recall due to a defective part; however, the part had not been replaced, and it overheated. The Fire Department is using this event — which could have resulted in a preventable tragedy — as an opportunity to advise residents on the importance of registering their appliances after purchase.”

“When residents and businesses purchase appliances, electronics, and other equipment, there are typically enclosed forms they can use to register the appliance with the manufacturer,” explained Fire Marshal Captain Tom Pizzano. “These forms are easy to overlook, but it is vitally important that they be completed and returned. You can also usually register an appliance on the manufacturer’s website. This ensures that consumers can be promptly notified when recalls or safety advisories are issued.”

“In some cases, rather than recall a product, a manufacturer can issue a replacement part or repair instructions that make the equipment safe for use,” said Millburn Fire Chief J. Michael Roberts. “By proactively cooperating with the registration process and following up with the manufacturer, residents and business owners can ensure that their homes, families, and assets are protected.”

A full list of U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls can be found online here.

Send Millburn news tips and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com