He explained, “Fires starting in electrical appliances, particularly faulty appliances, are definitely on the increase in Tayside — and in Scotland.

“More house fires are caused by electrical appliances than anything else.

“People really are unaware of the potential danger they are in simply by leaving the TV on standby or by putting the washing machine or tumble dryer on during the night or when they are out of the house.”

The Back to the Start television ad campaign launched recently by the Scottish Government tells the story of a family who leave the washing machine on before going to bed, and their house is subsequently consumed by fire.

The sequence of events is played backwards, starting with parents mourning the death of their child.

Mr Edgar went on, “Obviously, part of the problem is that an average household has far more electrical appliances now than ten years ago.

“Just think about the number of mobile phone chargers and hair straighteners people have in their homes now.

“People also probably use appliances such as washing machines and tumble dryers more now than ever before.”

The Tele was recently contacted by a local businessman whose daughter’s house in the Downfield area burned down due to her tumble dryer overheating.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, explained, “Other people’s houses are nearly burning down because of these machines.

“Because the back of the machine protrudes, people push it against the wall, but it’s right up against the plug.

“The same thing happened to me, I was at home and I could smell smoke.

“When I went to look, my plug was welded to the brass connection because of the heat.

“People also don’t realise that, when the belt in the machine expands, the barrel’s not going full turn and it’s going to heat up.”

Stewart Edgar added there are other key messages about electrical equipment in addition to not leaving them on overnight, or while there is no one in.

“Always use the right fuse in the plug,” he explained.

“Generally, when you get a new appliance, the plug is now sealed, so you can’t get into it, but if you can change the fuse, make sure you are replacing the old one with a new one of the right size.

“Never overload sockets or run electrical wires under carpets. Also, do not try to repair or rejoin cables or wires with insulation tape, always replace the whole cable and try to get that done by a qualified engineer.”

Lastly, Mr Edgar said people should, if possible, have their appliances checked regularly. Most are never assessed from the moment they are purchased to the day they are thrown away.

“You are more likely to die in a house fire in Scotland than you are anywhere else in western Europe, so it is important to get the message across to people that leaving electrical appliances on, especially when they are sleeping, is a danger,” he said.

“If you are sleeping, you will not know anything about it until your smoke alarm goes — that’s if you have got a smoke alarm.”

For a free Tayside Fire and Rescue home fire safety visit, call 01382 835804, text FIRE to 61611, or visit www.taysidefire.gov.uk.