In 2010, Santosh Benjamin-Muthiah (36) died after trying to save his family from the fire at home.
There was an inquest at Barnet Coroners Court in August 2014 which mentioned how a faulty defrost timer switch in Benjamin-Muthiah's fridge freezer had caused the fire.
After the hearing, coroner Andrew Walker illustrated the lack of any requirement for manufacturers in order to protect the flammable insulation from being caught in fire.
After seven deaths and 71 serious injuries in London since 2010, London fire Brigade have said that most manufacturers are yet to make amendments.
The Deputy Commisioner of London Fire Brigade, Rita Dexter has mentioned that fridge freezers are possibly the most lethal household appliances if caught on fire. She goes on to state, “they contain large amounts of highly flammable foam insulation, often only protected by a thin plastic covering. This can be a recipe for disaster if a fault occurs or if a fire spreads from somewhere else to the fridge or freezer.”
Firefighters have urged manufacturers to stop risking people's lives with their ill-designed fridge freezers.
