SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20111108-4A5A6-2147473525. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Matched catalog product: Kenmore Kenmore Elite Dual Fuel Model 790.xxxx. Source model text: Sears Kenmore Elite Model No. 110.669972500. Incident: On, October 19, 2011, Sears Electric Clothes Dryer Model 110.66972500 caught fire. Dryer was working and then we smelled an electrical fire. Determined after running around the house it was the dryer. Saw soot on top of the control panel. Fire started inside with the controls. Immediately unplugged dryer and fire smoldered out. Dryer is not even 6 yrs old - only 2 people in house. Dryer should not have caught fire. Called Sears on 10/20/11 at 1-800-469-4663 - then the fun began. The Sears representative was not sympathetic to hearing that the dryer caught fire, but was ready to sell me that Service Protection Agreement!! She never even noted anywhere on our information that the dryer caught fire per one of the "numerous" Sears Customer Solutions representatives I spoke with over the last 20 days. I specifically asked her if the parts would be new or refurbed. She said new. She told me that if the cost of the repairs would be over $500 they would provide to me a certificate for $500 for a new dryer. I was lied to - this was not a misunderstanding. I specifically asked if the parts would be refurbished and was told they would be new. After numerous calls and refurbed parts being order.....it is 11/8/11 and I am still waiting for the final repair - which now I am being told will be 11/11/11. We'll see what happens. Sear's is a very big disappointment. Sad. They were always a good company - very customer oriented. They are so big now - nobody cares.