In a heart-wrenching event last Thursday, a 4-year-old in Kansas succumbed to a “tragic accident” involving a clothes dryer, local authorities have reported.
The unfortunate incident unfolded in the small town of Savonburg as the child was “playing” at home, according to a Saturday statement from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO).
Authorities have disclosed that the child “allegedly received an electrical shock from a 220v dryer,” highlighting the perilous nature of the common household appliance.
Reports indicate that the child’s parents desperately transported their unconscious child to a nearby hospital at around 9:30 p.m. as they struggled to save their young one.
A woman with children loads clothes into a washing machine. (iStock)
However, the child was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
No foul play is suspected at this time, and the ACSO is investigating the incident.
Officials extended their condolences to the family and responders involved following the incident.
“The Sheriff’s Office extends our heartfelt condolences to the family members and all those affected by this tragedy, including the Allen County dispatchers, first responders, and hospital personnel,” the office said.
A 220-volt electrical current, which was involved in Thursday’s accident, can cause serious injury or death, including cardiac arrest.
An ambulance in motion. (iStock)
While clothes dryers have been linked to thousands of home fires annually, primarily caused by lint buildup blocking exhaust ducts or overheating electrical elements, electrical deaths involving major laundry appliances are considered extremely rare.
In one of the rare instances, a 10-year-old boy was found dead inside a dryer at a Houston-area apartment complex in 2018, according to Fox 5 DC.
A woman removes freshly dried clothes from a household dryer. (iStock)
A medical examiner determined the boy had been electrocuted, while investigators found no signs of injury or foul play.
The death was ruled accidental.