SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20251226-DED92-2147325183. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Speed Queen TC5003WN, AWN632SP116TW02, TC5003WN (Speed Queen TC5003WN 3.2 cu. ft. Top Load Washer MODEL NO. AWN632SP116TW02 PRODUCT CODE: TC5003WN SERIAL NO. 2508070922). Incident: On December 5, 2025, my Speed Queen washer (Model TC5003WN), which was purchased new on September 20 and installed on September 24, experienced a catastrophic internal fire. While the unit was in operation, it ignited internally, filling our entire basement with thick smoke and creating an immediate life-safety hazard. We had to disconnect power at the circuit breaker to ensure the fire did not spread to the structure of the home. A certified repair technician from [REDACTED] inspected the unit on December 10 and 16. He diagnosed the following components as faulty/failed: drain pump, idler pulley, drive belt, and the transmission. The technician stated that he had never seen a failure of this magnitude on a unit this new (approximately 70 days old) and noted that the transmission failure was essentially unheard of for this model. What type of product(s) were being used? A Speed Queen Top-Load Washer, Model #TC5003WN. It was purchased as part of a laundry pair from Warner Stellian in Saint Paul, MN. Who was using the product(s)? The product was being used by an adult resident of the household. How were the product(s) being used? The washer was being used for its intended purpose: a standard residential load of laundry. It was installed by professional installers from the retailer (Warner Stellian) and had been in normal use for approximately 10 weeks prior to the fire. Were there any injuries that happened or may have happened? No physical injuries occurred, but there was a significant risk of smoke inhalation and a high potential for a residential structure fire. How did an