There have been recalls for DW fires (BSH), dryer fires (Indesit/Hotpoint) and washer fires (Indesit/Hotpoint or WP respectively - honestly don't know if the recall started before or after the buy up) here in the EU.
Any electrical appliances can fail in catastrophic ways, no matter how well it is built and how well you take care off.
Having any appliance run without supervision is a risk you take.
But I don't think the danger is all that big.
Again, appliances are designed to perform safely and consistently even in "typical" household use, and that includes no care at all.
Have let my oven run it's self clean cycle while going for a grocery trip.
If it's not on fire within the first hour, it probably won't go on fire later.
And if it burns, all I could do would be calling the fire department.
And if that ever happens, that's what insurance is for...
Any electrical appliances can fail in catastrophic ways, no matter how well it is built and how well you take care off.
Having any appliance run without supervision is a risk you take.
But I don't think the danger is all that big.
Again, appliances are designed to perform safely and consistently even in "typical" household use, and that includes no care at all.
Have let my oven run it's self clean cycle while going for a grocery trip.
If it's not on fire within the first hour, it probably won't go on fire later.
And if it burns, all I could do would be calling the fire department.
And if that ever happens, that's what insurance is for...