On November 17, emergency services were called to the Whangārei suburb of Tikipunga after neighbours reported fire and smoke coming from a nearby property.
“I feel so devastated,” said a teary Dalet Swart.
She reportedly lost her rental house, antique furniture and home massage equipment - which she used for her work from home.
Fire investigations revealed a piece of linen cloth with traces of oil - possibly massage oil - had created a “spontaneous combustion” inside the dryer, sparking the fire.
Swart said she had switched the dryer off before leaving for a party.
A fire investigator said “spontaneous combustion” could happen even when the dryer had done its job.
On the day of the fire, Swart was driving back home from her friend’s birthday party in the evening when she saw all the emergency services roar past her.
“Little did I know that they were heading to my house,” she said.
Not long after, Swart received a call from the police telling her about the fire at her home.
When she eventually reached her house, she was shocked to see the devastation.
“It’s always traumatising when I think about what happened. The only consolation for me was to see my kids safe. Thank God, my twins had gone to visit my ex-partner for the weekend.”
Swart who hails from South Africa, came to Whangārei in 2015 as a masseur.
Dalet Swart lost her livelihood in the recent fire. She lost her FAR Infrared Therapy equipment that she imported last year.
“But now I cannot carry out my profession because all my items are either destroyed or cannot be used due to toxins left behind by the smoke during the fire.”
A state-of-the-art FAR infrared massage table she had recently imported for about $15,000 was also one of the several pieces of equipment she lost to the fire among priceless antiques and paintings.
A fire investigator said most homeowners and renters would be surprised to learn that such “ignition” involving laundry was relatively common and mentioned in every manual handbook that comes with a newly purchased dryer.
“Whether it be linen, or cotton cloths used regularly to wipe off oily stuff either in the kitchen or massage table. They are known to self-combust due to heat released from it in the dryer, even after they have been washed well.
Solo mum Dalet Swart still trying to recover from the house fire trauma. Photo/ Michael Cunningham
“As long as such damp cloths like linen are in the equipment. Ignition can occur.”
The fire investigator encouraged people to empty their clothes from the dryer immediately after use and spread them out into small piles to allow the apparel to air out and cool.
“Taking such steps will ensure that your dryer doesn’t catch fire,” he said.
Speaking to the Advocate in her new rental home, Swart offered her thanks to her neighbours, the community and the emergency services for coming to her immediate aid.
“Since I didn’t have insurance due to personal conditions, I was so worried about what I’d do. So, it’s reassuring to see so much love and support coming from them.”
Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.
