10 January 2023 , 10:50
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A mum has told of the horrifying moment her air fryer burst into flames after she noticed an unusual smell.
Rebecca Sim, 52, was cooking bacon on her one-year-old Tower machine at home in Prestwich, Manchester when she whiffed the scent of burning plastic.
She then spotted a small flame in the bottom of the tray which swiftly escalated into a raging inferno, prompting her to smother the device with a wet tea towel and chuck it outside.
Dramatic footage shows flames erupting from the air fryer, which Rebecca says could have "burnt down her kitchen".
Tower has since launched an investigation into the incident.
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Rebecca chucked the air fryer outside
Dramatic footage shows flames erupting from the deviceRebecca, a retired school teacher, told Manchester Evening News: "So many people have now got air fryers, and so many of my friends have got one.
"They all say they often leave it cooking while they go and do something. It is very simple to use and it had been thoroughly cleaned, so I wasn't expecting it.
"It was a really nasty experience that could have been far far worse without my quick-thinking. I know that with the cost-of-living crisis many people are trying to reduce costs and have bought air fryers."
She said the device had been "thoroughly cleaned out" before being used.
Rebecca continued: ""When the bacon was nearly done I pulled out the tray to check it. It was splattering. As I was checking the tray I noticed a tiny flicker in the bottom part of the fryer. I was concerned as it didn’t look right.
The mum-of-two said her kitchen could have been burnt down if she had left the device unattended
Tower has since launched an investigation into the incident"I noticed the flickering and a plastic smell, so I knocked the switch off with a wooden spoon, unplugged it and smothered it with a damp tea towel.
"When I removed the tea towel I saw smoke and the beginnings of what looked like flames in the base of the fryer.
"I have Multiple Sclerosis and I am not that fast or strong so with much difficulty I picked it up and threw it out the back door where it turned in to an inferno.
"I was just shocked - I was thinking 'what if that had been my daughter?' I couldn't believe how quickly it burnt up and there was so much noise. It was really shocking."
The mum-of-two said she bought the air fryer for her daughter at university, who would often leave it unattended while going to wash her hair.
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She added: "Thank god I didn't leave it - it could have burnt the kitchen down."
A spokesperson for the air fryer company said the safety of its products "is of the upmost importance".
They said: ""The consumer involved contacted us on Wednesday (January 4) regarding her experience.
"Whilst we are pleased that Rebecca is OK we are reaching out to her seeking to obtain the Air Fryer so an investigation can be carried out.
"The safety of our products is of the up most importance to Tower and a thorough investigation will help us to understand the circumstances."