Mum and her seven kids killed in house fire 'sparked by faulty tumble dryer'

06 February 2023 , 15:21

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Scorch marks up the side of the house (Image: infofrance3/Twitter)

A mum and her seven children have died in a house fire thought to have been caused by a malfunctioning tumble dryer.

The horror unfolded on Monday morning in Charly-sur-Marne, 50 miles east of Paris, where the family lived in a town house.

A manslaughter investigation has now been launched.

"It appears that their tumble dryer on the ground floor caught fire," said local prosecutor Julien Morino-Ros.

"The children, five girls and two boys aged between two and 14, and their mother died of asphyxiation," he said.

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Mr Morino-Ros confirmed that – in line with judicial procedure in such cases – a criminal enquiry had been opened for manslaughter.

There was no initial information about the type of tumble dryer involved, or its manufacturer or service history.

Emergency services at the scene (infofrance3/Twitter)

It is thought that the family may have put the dryer on in the early hours of the morning, when electricity costs are cheaper.

The only survivor from the family – who cannot initially be named for legal reasons – was the father, who was badly burned.

Police fear he told his wife and children to stay in the second-floor attic of their property when he went down to investigate the heavy smoke coming from the dryer.

This turned into "a trap" for those who died, said the prosecutor, as all the electric shutters upstairs jammed following a power failure.

Firefighters arrived soon after 1am, but they had trouble getting in to the upper floors of the house.

Sylvie Corré, wife of the owner of the rented property, said: "I hope with all my heart that those who died did not feel any pain, or see anything.

"We were there in the street all night and watched the horror."

A police officer looks on at the scene (infofrance3/Twitter)

Ms Corré said her family employed the father in their champagne business and described him as "an excellent employee".

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She said the couple were in their 40s, and – along with their children – were very popular in the area.

The father spent a night in hospital, and his condition later on Monday was described as "stable and not life threatening".

Fire chief Jean-Claude Ouguel said: "The house was completely destroyed. Only the side walls remain."

Charlie Jones