Lee County: Disregarded dryer lint causes costly problem, June 24, 2008
"A North Fort Myers apartment went up in flames while a mother and her four young children were inside. We found out what sparked the blaze and why it can serve as a lesson for everyone."Read our article from the Ft. Myers News Press, January 29, 2008.
Fire Marshal: Blaze Started in Dryer - By Jamie McCune - Hanover Evening Sun (9/9/2008)
MOUNT JOY, PA - An Adams County fire marshal determined Monday that a house fire that caused more than $100,000 in damage started in the dryer. Fire companies responded to the home of Tina and Michael Midkiff just after 9 a.m., shortly after Tina's mother, who was visiting, returned to the home to find the fire in progress. The fire burned through the laundry room and part of the adjoining kitchen. Most of the damage was caused by smoke and heat, Myers said. "The inside of the house has extensive damage," Lt. Justin Myers of Alpha Fire Co. of Littlestown said. "There was some very high heat in that house, there was enough that it started to melt appliances," county Deputy Fire Marshal Jerry Poland said.
Cause of Fire Determined - Topeka Capital Journal (9/8/2008)
LAWRENCE, KS - The cause of a fire at 2832 Iowa has been classified as accidental, a news release from the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical department said Sunday. The fire on Sept. 5 caused an estimated $80,000 damage to an apartment located in the apartment complex. A clothes dryer that was incorrectly vented into a wall caused a lint build-up to burn, the release stated.
Fire Shuts Down Day Spa - ABC Channel 4 News (9/4/2008)
SANDY, UT - A clothes dryer caught fire at a day spa inside the South Towne Mall early just before noon Thursday in Sandy. An alert employee at Sanctuary Day Spa saw flames coming from the appliance and quickly used a fire extinguisher to keep the fire under control. A Sprinkler directly over the dryer also kept the fire from spreading to other stores in the mall. No one was seriously hurt, but one person was treated for smoke inhalation. The fire resulted in some water damage inside the spa and the hallway outside.
Dryer Fire Quickly Doused - By Stu Skerker - Attleboro Sun Chronicle (8/30/2008)
MANSFIELD, MA - A remote fire alarm system, and the quick actions of firefighters, are being credited with keeping a fire in a clothes dryer from spreading Saturday afternoon. Fire Chief Neal Boldrighini said a remote central station fire alarm and the work of the first responding fire crews kept a house fire at 1601 West St. small and minimized damage. The company that monitors the alarms for the homeowner notified the fire department as well as the homeowner, who had left the house, after putting clothes in the dryer. The house suffered minor smoke damage, and the 17-year-old electric clothes dryer will need replacing.
Dryer Fire Badly Damages Home - By Clark Mason - Santa Rosa Press Democrat (8/28/2008)
SANTA ROSA, CA - A house fire earlier in the day at 32030 McCray Road was started from lint in a dryer. The 800-square-foot home was badly damaged, although no dollar estimate was immediately available. Tenants Jerry and Minnie Brown were watching TV shortly before noon when they smelled curtains burning in a back room. The Browns also tried to put out the fire with a garden hose, Delsid said.
Woman Escapes Mobile Home Fire - Charleston Post Courier (8/28/2008)
CHARLESTON, SC - A woman escaped a mobile home fire Tuesday afternoonafter her smoke alarm sounded, firefighters said. The woman was at home when the fire started in her dryer at 3:53 p.m., Battalion Chief Eric Phillips said. Crews contained the fire to the area around the dryer and later aired out the smoke from the home. Phillips credited a smoke detector that firefighters installed within the past two years with helping the woman avoid serious injury.
Clothes Dryer Starts House Fire - By Roman Gokhman - Contra Costa Times (8/25/2008)
SAN RAMON, CA - A kinked clothes dryer line clogged with lint overheated and started a fire that caused $175,000 in damages to a house and injured two cats Monday afternoon, according to the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. The blaze was first reported at 2:07 p.m. by neighbors of the house, Assistant Chief Richard Price said in a news release. Neighbors alerted the resident, who escaped unharmed. Two unconscious cats in the home were rescued by firefighters and resuscitated with oxygen at the scene. One firefighter suffered a minor burn to the hand but did not require hospital treatment.
Fire Destroys Home - The Bakersfield Californian (8/24/2008)
BAKERSFIELD, CA - A fire destroyed a single-story home and attached garage and threatened an adjacent residence in southwest Bakersfield Saturday evening. A dryer may have sparked the blaze, according to the Bakersfield Fire Department. It took about 20 minutes to extinguish. Initial damage estimates are $165,000. Embers spread to the wood shake roof of an adjacent house to the south, creating lots of smoke, Moore said. But firefighters stretched a hose to protect the neighbor’s house and put out flames that flared in a pile of wood in the backyard and along a fence.
House Fire Injures 2 Teens - By Nomaan Merchant - St. Petersburg Times (8/20/2008)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - An overheated dryer started a large fire that engulfed a home and nearly killed two teenagers inside. The flames destroyed much of the home at 1132 Maybury Drive and threatened nearby houses. Two teens — a boy and a girl — were airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, Pasco Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Mike Ciccarello said. The girl has been released; the boy remained hospitalized Tuesday afternoon. A dryer was running inside the garage, and a clogged lint screen caused the machine to overheat, Ciccarello said.
Fire Displaces 7 People - By Celanie Polanick - Akron Beacon Journal (8/19/2008)
AKRON, OH - Seven people had to be relocated after a fire at their Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority building on the city's east side early this morning. The Akron Fire Department responded to a dryer fire that occurred at a four-apartment building. The fire was quickly extinguished, said Johnny Player, public information officer for the department.
Garden Hose Used to Control Fire - By Celanie Polanick - Valley News Dispatch (8/19/2008)
PITTSBURGH, PA - A veteran firefighter and a garden hose were the first line of defense against a dryer fire that almost claimed several homes. Although Harry Rupert, 65, belongs to the Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company, he lives a few blocks from where the fire occurred, and was first at the scene. Firefighters say they're grateful he was so quick to respond. "If it wasn't for his help, we probably would've lost the house. When Rupert arrived, he found two neighbors using a garden hose at the rear of the house, where the downstairs laundry room was fully engulfed in flames.
Home Destroyed by Fire - Monroe News (8/11/2008)
TEMPERANCE, MI - Chief John Bofia of the Bedford Township Volunteer Fire Department reported a fire ignited in the dryer at the Pena Rucki home at 1040 Washington St. When firefighters arrived, the electric service to the house had separated, causing the entire house to be energized, the chief said. For safety reasons, firefighters were not allowed inside until the electricity was shut off. Around 10 minutes later, crews from Consumers Power arrived and shut off the electricity. However, the fire had spread and gutted the older, two-story home. Although the house was still standing, the chief said it would have be torn down.
Fire Destroys Home - By Kathy Antoniotti - Akron Beacon Journal (8/11/2008)
AKRON, OH - A fire that started in a clothes dryer destroyed a Plain Township home, Fire Chief John Sabo said. Sabo said no one was home when the fire started in the basement. No injuries were reported. ''There was just a massive amount of smoke and heat damage,'' Sabo said. He said the fire was so intense that it used up the oxygen in the ranch-style home and started to burn itself out. Damage is estimated at $250,000 for the house and its contents.
Fire In Historic Home - NBC News Channel 30 (8/4/2008)
EAST HAVEN, CT - East Haven firefighters battled a fire at a historic home on Silversands Road Sunday afternoon. The fire marshal believes the fire started in an electrical dryer in a bathroom of the house, which was built in the 1700s. Most of the damage was caused by smoke but, because of the layout of the home, it took firefighters a while to find the flames, fire officials said.
Fire Destroys Home - KDFW Fox Channel 4 News (7/24/2008)
DALLAS, TX - A raging fire caused by a clothes dryer destroyed a rural house in Argyle on Thursday afternoon. The Denton County Fire Marshal's Office says the family living there put some clothes in the dryer and went out. When they returned, they found the house ablaze. The blaze sparked two small wildfires in the brush surrounding the home but firefighters were able to extinguish them. The house appeared to be a total loss. Estimated damage is $425,000.
Fire - Mansfield News Journal (7/23/2008)
MANSFIELD, OH - A dryer fire caused moderate damage to a basement Monday morning. City firefighters got the call at 10:36 a.m. and arrived to find heavy smoke in the basement and light smoke on the main level.
Fire Erupts in Utility Building - By Tarmo Hannula - Register Pajaronian (7/23/2008)
WATSONVILLE, CA - A fire erupted inside a utility building beside a Carey Avenue home in Freedom Tuesday. By the time Watsonville firefighters arrived, flames were gushing from the small outbuilding and a column of black and grey smoke was issuing high into the sky. Fire Capt. Matt Ryan said firefighters got a quick handle on the fire that appeared to have started in a clothes dryer. Flames charred several walls and the roof inside the building.
Four People Rescued from Carthage Fire - 700 WLW News Radio (7/21/2008)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Four people were rescued from a one-alarm fire in a Carthage house Sunday. Heavy smoke blocked the exit, forcing them to use a second floor balcony. Firefighters arrived at the house just before 11 p.m. and found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the two-story, two-family home. One firefighter suffered a hand injury when a hose line failed outside of the house. He was taken to University Hospital. Damage is estimated at $10,000. The fire started in a gas dryer in the basement.
Fire Forces Evacuation - Jackson Hole News (7/15/2008)
JACKSON HOLE, WY - Lint likely caught fire in a dryer causing guests of The Rust Parrot Lodge & Spa to evacuate on Sunday, said Rusty Palmer, Jackson Hole/EMS fire chief. The fire was contained to one dryer, but the smoke that spread throughout the lodge forced about 60 guests outside, Palmer estimated the damage to the dryer and ceiling tiles to be about $5,000.
Fire Damages Miami Twp. Home - By Megan Wasmund and Doug Lillibridge - WCPO ABC News Channel 9 (7/13/2008)
MIAMI, OH - There was no one home, and no one hurt, but the residents of a Miami Township home have damage from a fire to deal with. A dryer caught fire at a house in the 7400 block of Bridgetown Road just before 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Police say a retired firefighter saw smoke, and called 9-1-1. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to knock out the fire. Officials estimate the damage to be between $5,000 and $10,000.
Dryer Fire - WCAV CBS News Channel 19 (7/11/2008)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - The Charlottesville Fire Department responded to a call about a house fire at approximately 12:40 pm Friday. A caller reported a garage fire with people trapped. The Charlottesville Battalion Chief Jeff Garrison said that the fire was actually a dryer fire. Two bystanders and a Charlottesville Police Officer helped get the occupants out of the house. Two residents were injured.
Dryer Catches Fire at YMCA, One Child Taken to Hospital - By Donny Wisor - Gaston Gazette (7/9/2008)
GASTONIA, NC - A small fire at the Gaston County YMCA on West Franklin Boulevard led to evacuations and one child taken to the hospital. Tony Sigmon, CEO of the YMCA said the fire started in a dryer around 4 p.m. One girl had a smoke induced asthma attack from the fire. She was transported by ambulance to Gaston Memorial Hospital, according to Gastonia Fire Department Capt. Jody Blanton. There were about 140 people inside the building when the fire started, Sigmon said. Everyone was able to get out. This is the second time the YMCA had a fire start in its dryer.
Dryer Fire Causes $10,000 Damage - The Capital Times (7/3/2008)
MADISON, WI - A dryer fire in an apartment building caused $10,000 damage and resulted in a warning from the Madison Fire Department to call 911 immediately when a fire is discovered instead of trying to deal with the situation on your own. The fire was reported at 12:26 p.m. Wednesday in the two-story apartment building at 511 W. Doty St., about 30 minutes after a building maintenance worker discovered smoke coming from the dryer.
Fire Damages Home - By Andrew Lightman - The Patriot Ledger (6/30/2008)
MILTON, MA - A two-alarm fire at a Blue Hill Avenue home forced a Milton family of four to find shelter at a hotel. The fire started in the family’s clothes dryer or a nearby vent, said Deputy Fire Chief John Foley. Milton firefighters, with help from the Canton Fire Department, were able to control the blaze quickly, Foley said. The fire caused heavy smoke damage throughout the house. Damage was estimated at $75,000 to $100,000, Foley said.
Fire Severely Damages Dunbar Home - WOWK CBS Channel 13 (6/28/2008)
DUNBAR, WV - A father and his two daughters are without a home after an afternoon fire in Dunbar. Firefighters say a dryer caused the home to go up in smoke Saturday afternoon. Firefighters got everything under control rather quickly. The back of the house received most of the damage. The family did make it out safely. No one was hurt.
Cops Injured Fighting Fire - By Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman - The Trentonian (6/28/2008)
LUMBERTON, NJ - Two quick-responding police officers were treated for smoke inhalation yesterday as they extinguished a house fire before firefighters arrived on the scene. Sgt. Nicholas Peditto and Cpl. Brian Walker entered a burning Black Pine Lane residence about 1:25 p.m. and knocked down the blaze that inflamed the house's laundry room. The fire originated in a dryer. Township firefighters soon arrived to vent the house of smoke and prevent the flames from reigniting. The homeowners were inside the house when the fire erupted, but they escaped the dwelling unhurt.
Dryer Lint Causes Costly Problem - By Kevin Ozebek - WZVN-HD ABC News Channel 7 (6/23/2008)
FORT MYERS, FL - A North Fort Myers apartment went up in flames while a mother and her four young children were inside. Fire investigators say the woman who lives in the apartment used her clothes dryer earlier in the day and lint inside the dryer vent caught fire. "She's never checked the dryer hose to see if there was anything in it," said Fire investigator Daryl Burton. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze in the laundry room. The rest of the unit has minor smoke damage and some water damage from neighbors who used garden hoses to help put out the blaze.
Fair Avenue Fire: Family Picking up Pieces - By Katherine Harmon - The Evening Sun (6/23/2008)
HANOVER, PA - Out of the ashes of the Haladej home, two firefighters brought the owner a wedding ring that was found in the rubble. John Haladej, of 122 Fair Ave., took his wife's wedding ring and placed it on his pinkie as he watched the rest of the firefighters sifting through the debris that used to be the home where he lived for 10 years. The first fire truck arrived four minutes after the blaze was called in, but Cromer said the entire front of the two-story home was already engulfed in flames. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to the house next door. Haladej said he was sure the dryer started the fire.
House Destroyed by Fire - By Catherine Phillips - Worcester Standard (6/23/2008)
HARRISBURG, PA - The fire happened just before 1:00PM Sunday afternoon in the 100 block of Fair Avenue. Fire fighters believe a dryer unit sparked the fire. Investigators say the family of five tried putting the flames out before calling for help. A 25-year-old man was taken to the hospital for observation. No one else was hurt but officials say the home is completely destroyed.
Dryer Fire Forces Multiple Evacuations - By Alex Zdan - The Times of Trenton (6/22/2008)
LAWRENCE, NJ - A dryer fire forced the evacuation of several town houses in Lawrence Square Village Sunday afternoon. Police said a neighbor called 911 just before 3 p.m. about a fire in a second floor home. All neighbors were safely removed from their homes, and firefighters quickly knocked down the fire, which was believed to be caused by a dryer left running when the owner left home. Police said there was damage to the laundry room and hallway area in the home.
Dryer Fire Damages Home - The Express Times (6/17/2008)
WASHINGTON, NJ - A fire that started in a dryer destroyed a second-floor laundry room at a Lenape Trail town house but no one was injured, a fire official said. Firefighters were dispatched at 5:10 p.m., according to the Warren County Communications Center. Fir departments from the borough, Hackettstown and Washington Township responded to the fire, as did the Washington Emergency Squad, said Keith Gonzales, a borough fire captain.
Dryer Fire - WYTV ABC News Channel 33 (6/17/2008)
YOUNGSTOWN, OH - A fire scare this afternoon for a Boardman family when their clothes dryer caught fire. The owner of the house says she smelled the smoke first, then saw it billowing down the hallway. Crews were able to put the blaze out quickly and keep it contained. Investigators say it raises awareness of how important it is to empty your lent trap before every use. Smoke damage is estimated at about 5-thousand dollars.
Firefighters Contain House Fire - The Times of Trenton (6/17/2008)
EWING, NJ - Township firefighters, dispatched about 3:45 p.m. to Wiscasset Avenue, arrived to find smoke billowing from the rear of a split-level home, West Trenton Fire Co. Chief Ralf Brandmaier said. He said firefighters soon discovered flames burning in the home's utility room. The fire, which began in a clothes dryer, had started to burn up a wall and was just seconds away from spreading to the floor above, he said. But firefighters quickly put out the flames and contained damage to the utility room, he said.
Dryer Fire Causes $10,000 Damage - By Justin Kmitch - Chicago Daily Herald (6/11/2008)
NAPERVILLE, IL - A fire in the laundry room of a Naperville house caused more than $10,000 damage Wednesday morning, but all four residents escaped unharmed. Assistant Fire Chief Richard Mikel said firefighters responded just after 10 a.m. "When we got there, the resident was doing a pretty good job containing the fire with his garden hose," Mikel said. "We finished it off, though, and made sure there was nothing smoldering behind the walls or anything." Mikel said the\ accidental fire was caused by the dryer. "The fire was pretty much contained to that dryer," he said, "so we're empasizing the importance of keeping those machines maintained and lint traps clean."
Firefighters Battle Flames In Severe Heat - New York 1 News (6/10/2008)
NEW YORK, NY - The city's fire department battled a fire for two hours in Tuesday's intense heat in East New York. The FDNY says a fire started in a laundromat and spread to a bank and another business. Officials believe lint in one of the dryers ignited and spread through the duct work. Damage is said to be severe. During the two hours needed to control the blaze, firefighters rotated crews so no one would be overcome by the heat. Eleven firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Woman in Hospital after Fire - Crawley Observer (6/4/2008)
CRAWLEY, ENGLAND, UK - A woman has been taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and shock after a house fire in Eastbourne. Three crews from Eastbourne and Pevensey battled the blaze, which broke out in Winchelsea Road. A spokeswoman said the blaze, which is understood to have originated from the tumble dryer, caused "substantial damage" to the property.
Dryer Fire Guts Home - By Jill Whalen - Hazelton Standard~Speaker (6/3/2008)
HAZELTON, PA - A clothes dryer is to blame for a blaze that left four people homeless in Black Creek Township on Monday, officials said. Area fire departments responded to the fire, which gutted a two-story home. No one was injured, although two cats owned by the family are missing. Area fire personnel arrived to find the structure fully involved, said Joe Lescowitch, chief of the Nuremberg-Weston Volunteer Fire Co. Lescowitch, who investigated the cause of the fire, deemed it accidental and said it began in the clothes dryer.
Fire Damages Home in Tulare - By Luis Hernandez - Visalia Times Delta (5/28/2008)
VISILIA, CA - A fire that started in a clothes dryer's exhaust pipe did an estimated $35,000 in damages to a Tulare home, displacing a family Tuesday morning, a fire official said. Responding firefighters contained the fire to the laundry room, Tulare City Fire Capt. Cameron Long said. But there was fire damage to the garage and laundry room. "There was a significant amount of fire in the garage," Long said.
Fire Damages Vallejo Home - Vallejo Times Herald (5/25/2008)
VALLEJO, CA - A North Vallejo home sustained about $150,000 in damage Friday night after a dryer caught fire, fire officials said. The flames started at about 7:15 p.m. at the home on the 100 block of Leonard Street and quickly spread to the attic, authorities reported. Fire crews reportedly had the fire under control within a few minutes of arrival and no one was injured in the blaze, fire officials said.
Clogged Exhaust Tube Sparks Fire - By Jesse James Deconto - Charlotte News & Observer (5/22/2008)
CARRBORO, NC - A clogged dryer exhaust tube was blamed for a fire that destroyed a family’s laundry room and spread smoke damage throughout their apartment. Firefighters responded after receiving a call from a neighbor who heard a smoke detector sounding inside the apartment. The tenant had left the dryer running, and neither she nor her daughter were home at the time of the fire.
Group Home Damaged in Fire - By Jim Patten - The Eagle Tribune (5/21/2008)
NORTH ANDOVER, MA - A smoky, two-alarm blaze believed to have started in a clothes dryer caused heavy damage to a one-story addition at the rear of a group home at 285 Broadway yesterday. "We believe the fire was accidental and started in a clothes dryer that had been left running and caught fire," Deputy fire Chief Charles Ripley said. The group home is a satellite home operated by St. Ann's Home, and 12 girls lived there. The one-story addition at the back of the building appeared to contain a family room. That room and a small area of the kitchen had fire damage, and there was smoke damage throughout the remainder of the building, Gallant said.
Dryer Fire Renders Five Homeless - Tampa Bay's CBS 10 News (5/6/2008)
WINTER HAVEN, FL - Fire, blamed on a clothes dryer, caused extensive damage to a house in the Jan Phyl Village area late Tuesday. The Red Cross has been called to provide emergency assistance to five adults who are displaced, according to Polk County Fire Rescue. The fire broke out a little before 6 p.m. and first responders arrived to find the back half of the home in flames.
Laundry Room Fire Forces Residents Out - By Wade Nkrumah - The Oregonian (5/2/2008)
SALEM, OR - A dryer was blamed for a fire tonight that forced evacuation of 88 residents from a Salem retirement building. Bill Holmstrom, a Salem Fire Department spokesman, said firefighters responded to a 7:35 p.m. alarm at Redwood Heights Retirement & Assisted Living Residence, 4050 12th St.S.E. The fire, which sent smoke throughout the building, was traced to a first-floor laundry room. Damage was estimated at more than $10,000.
Dryer Ignites House Fire in Shoreline - Seattle Post-Intelligencer (4/29/2008)
SEATTLE, WA - An overheated laundry dryer was the cause of a fire that severely damaged a home Tuesday just before noon. Shoreline Fire Department spokeswoman Melanie Granfors said smoke and flames were visible from the house when firefighters arrived. A woman and her son, who were living in the single-story house, were able to escape.
Dryer Catches Fire, Burns House Down - By Jorge Barrientos - The Bakersfield Californian (4/25/2008)
BAKERSFIELD, CA - A two-alarm fire that destroyed a home Wednesday afternoon started in the laundry room when a dryer possibly ignited some lint, fire officials said Friday. No one was hurt in the blaze that left the all-wooden house on the northwest corner of Wilkins and Augusta streets completely burned. From the laundry room, the fire went through the house, to the patio and through the attic, said Capt. Bryan Perry with the Bakersfield Fire Department. “There's a lot of people that don't check their filters in their dryers, and they should,” Perry said. It took no more than five minutes for the fire to destroy the home, officials said.
Clothes Dryer Fire Causes Hotel Evacuation - New Jersey Star-Ledger (4/24/2008)
NEWARK, NJ - A laundry room fire forced the evacuation of the Wyndham Hotel on Scudders Mill Road in Plainsboro early today, though no injuries were reported and the fire was contained to a clothes dryer, police said. Guests and staff were evacuated for 45 minues after the 1:53 a.m. fire at the hotel, police said. The fire started in a clothes dryer in a lower-level laundry room and was quickly extinguished, police said. Smoke damage was primarily contained to the laundry room, police said.
Dryer Fire Guts Home - By Joe Stevens - Long Beach Press-Telegram (4/22/2008)
LAKEWOOD, CA - A dryer caused a house fire in Lakewood on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The fire destroyed the second level of a home on the 5100 block of Premiere Avenue, Lakewood Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Proctor said. Authorities estimated the fire caused $300,000 in damage. There were no injuries.
Inmates Evacuated after Dryer Fire - The McAllen Monitor (4/21/2008)
EDINBURG, TX - Smoke and fire at the Evins Regional Juvenile Center forced prison officials to evacuate dozens of inmates. Edinburg Fire received a call shortly after 10 a.m. of a fire in one of the facility's laundry rooms. When they arrived, firefighters found a laundry dryer on fire, said Edinburg Fire Chief Shawn Snider. "The dryer is destroyed and there is smoke damage inside the room," Snider said. Snider said dryer fires are common.
Teen Saves Toddler From Mobile Home Fire - WSOC TV Channel 9 Eyewitness News (4/17/2008)
GROVER, NC - On Thursday, Blair Hawkins gave a tearful thank you to the teenager that saved her toddler from a burning mobile home. "Because of you, today my son is still alive," she said, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart." She called 14-year-old Laura McDaniel a guardian angel. Hawkins left her home, to take her 6-year-old to the hospital. A group of her friends, including McDaniel, stayed at her mobile home with her 1-year-old son, Aiden Moore. They rushed out when a dryer fire started, and then realized they left the little boy inside. Witnesses said McDaniel ran in through the back door and grabbed Aiden from a playpen near the burning dryer. Hawkins said her young family lost everything in the fire. They have no insurance.
House Fire on Culver Parkway this Morning - By Nikki Rudd - WHEC TV News 10 NBC (4/17/2008)
ROCHESTER, NY - A house fire sent smoke throughout an Irondequoit neighborhood Thursday morning. Four fire departments responded to the fire. Laurelton Fire Chief Miguel Santiago says a dryer caught on fire in the basement. No one was home. Chief Santiago says some water pipes in the basement burst due to the heat. That put the fire out before crews even got there, but there was still a lot of smoke to deal with.
Fire Destroys Home in Grover - By Kristen Thomas - The Shelby Star (4/16/2008)
GROVER, NC - A Grover family's home was destroyed Wednesday evening after a dryer caught fire. The mobile home at 2350 Cleveland Ave. caught fire at 9:05 p.m. The family had lived at the residence for six years. Chief Greg Harris of the No. 3 Volunteer Fire Department said the fire spread very quickly and that the home was a total loss. "Four people were in the house but no one was hurt. Everyone got out safe," he said. "It took us 20 minutes to contain it."
Dryer Believed To Be Cause Of Fatal Milton Fire - WBZTV CBS Local News (4/14/2008)
MILTON, MA - A dryer is the cause of a house fire that ripped through a Milton triple-decker, killing one man. The blaze started on Monday just after noon in a laundry room on the second floor. Investigators believe the lint from the dryer built up in a vent pipe, began to heat up and eventually caught fire. The fire spread to the third floor, where a man was found in a bedroom. According to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System, there were 97 dryer fires in 2006, which resulted in one death and an estimated $489,922 in damages.
Dryer Fire Leaves Family Homeless - Blue Springs Examiner (4/14/2008)
INDEPENDENCE, MO - A fire that started in a dryer late Friday morning has left a family of five homeless. Assistant Chief Tim Krickle, with the Independence Fire Department, confirmed that the fire spread to the first floor of the home, causing extensive damage. He said one resident was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene but there were no other injuries.
Elderly Woman Burned - CBS 3 Springfield News (4/13/2008)
SPRINGFIELD, MA - Shortly after 12:30 p.m. Sunday Franklin County Firefighters responded to a house on Stone Valley Road. "Upon arrival there was very, very light smoke and we initially thought it was just a dryer due to humidity and conditions. But, when they went downstairs to investigate a dryer fire they found it actually had a working fire," said Orange Fire Chief Dennis Annear. Fire officials said once they went inside they realized the situation was even worse because an elderly woman stuck inside. "They pulled a woman out and there were performing cpr on her. Then finally the ambulance got here. They put her in the ambulance and they were sitting here for another 15 minutes or so before they left with her," said Elise Sluder, a neighbor. Officials said the victim sustained smoke inhalation but had a pulse when she was transported from the scene.
Clothes Dryer Goes Up In Smoke - Alameda Sun (4/12/2008)
ALAMEDA, CA - Firefighters extinguished a clothes dryer that had burst into flames inside a coin operated laundry facility on the 1100 block of Pacific Marina. Firefighters fought through thick black smoke at the laundry's entrance to reach the fire, which firefighters put out with a pre-connected hose line. The dryer was taken out of the business and firefighters kept busy extinguishing lingering embers and hot spots before ventilating the building.
Family Escapes After Dryer Fire in CK Home - by Josh Farley - Kitsap Sun (4/11/2008)
KITSAP, WA - A fire late Thursday at a Conifer Drive home displaced a family of five, according to Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue. The homeowner awoke to find the two-story home thick with smoke — but was unable to get downstairs to wake two of her children, reports said. She lowered one of her children from the second story to safety, then jumped from the house herself. She was then able to pound on the children's windows downstairs and they both escaped safely, crews said. She then called 911 from a neighbor's home. Firefighters doused the flames and kept damage to the home's laundry area, but heavy smoke damage was reported elsewhere through the house. The family dog, which was in the basement of the house, was rescued by crews. The Kitsap County Fire Marshal's Office said the fire started in the dryer.
Cause Found in Early Morning House Fire - WSFA NBC Channel 12 News (4/9/2008)
MONTGOMERY, AL - The Montgomery Fire Department tells WSFA 12 News they are treating an early morning fire on as an accident. Officials say the fire was most likely started by a clothes dryer. The fire was well involved when fire fighters arrived on scene, and it took 20 minutes to get the blaze under control. There were no significant injuries, but one firefighter was treated for first and second degree burns. Unfortunately, the house is not liveable at this time because it was so heavily damaged.
Family Loses Home to Fire - By Chris Brennaman - WTOK NewsCenter 11 ABC (4/9/2008)
DEKALB, MS - A trip to the grocery store Monday evening turned out to be anything but ordinary for the Carpenter family of DeKalb. Kendra and Lyndon arrived home just as two of their three children were running out of the family's burning house. Nothing in the home was spared from the fire, which is believed to have started from the dryer. "We're all heartbroken, but the most important thing is our kids made it out safe and we're all here, alive and well," Carpenter said. "That's really all that matters."
Clothes Dryer Started Shed Fire - Delaware Coast Press (4/8/2008)
MILFORD, DE - A fire that caused about $5,000 damage to a shed southeast of Milford started in a clothes dryer that was operating at the time, officials said today. The state Fire Marshal’s Office investigatged the blaze in the 20000 block of Slaughter Beach Road. The Ellendale Fire Department responded to the blaze in the 12-foot by 12-foot shed about 9 p.m. Sunday.
Dryer Blamed for $375,000 House Fire - Tri-Valley Herald (4/7/2008)
PLEASANTON, CA - A fire that apparently started in a clothes dryer caused $375,000 damage to a two-car garage and attached single family house this morning, fire officials said. Fire Battalion Chief Joe Testa said the fire, which was reported at 5:53 a.m., destroyed the garage. There was also some fire damage to the house, which is attached to the garage. The dryer was in operation when the fire started, he said. One firefighter sustained a minor injury fighting the fire. "The homeowner did the right thing, he got his family out safely, then called 9-1-1-," Testa said.
Apartment Fire Blamed on Clogged Dryer Vent - By Anita Debro - The Birmingham News (4/3/2008)
BIRMINGHAM, AL - A clogged dryer vent sparked the fire Tuesday night that destroyed 23 apartments at the Enclave at Mountain Brook, Irondale fire officials said today. Fire Chief Randy Davis said lint built up inside the dryer vent caught fire as the dryer was running inside a unit of the apartment complex. The fire ripped through the building as Irondale, Birmingham and Mountain Brook firefighters fought to contain the blaze. There were 23 families displaced.
Dryer Blamed for House Fire - By Bill Byrd - Times West Virginian (4/3/2008)
FAIRMONT, WV - A Tuesday morning fire that destroyed the home of a Colfax family has been determined to be accidental, an assistant state fire marshal said. “The fire originated in the back of a dryer,” said Mackey Ayersman. The older, wooden-frame farmhouse belonged to Tammy Shriver, a photographer for the Times West Virginian. Shriver was home alone doing some laundry in the basement shortly before 9 a.m. when the fire started. She and the family’s pets escaped unharmed. But the house was destroyed.
Dryer Catches Fire in Camden County Apartment - Cherry Hill Courier Post (3/30/2008)
LINDENWOLD, NJ - A dryer caught fire and the residents of an apartment had to be evacuated this morning in Camden County, according to officials. The fire broke out at the Landings of Pine Lake apartment complex, located at 98 Oak Avenue in Lindenwold, around 6:30 this morning, authorities said. Firefighters from Lindenwold, Clementon, Laurel Springs, Berlin and Somerdale worked together and were able to put the fire out in about 20 minutes, containing it to the single unit, according to officials. The apartment, shared by a couple, was heavily damaged, fire officials said.
Woman at Willingboro House Fire Later Dies - By Mari A. Schaefer - The Philadelphia Inquirer (3/30/2008)
WILLINGBORO, PA - A 69-year-old woman died after she was pulled from a burning house in Willingboro yesterday morning. At 8:52 a.m., 911 dispatchers received a call about a clothes-dryer fire in the 100 block of Millbrook Drive. The blaze had spread by the time firefighters arrived. The unidentified woman was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, where she was pronounced dead.
Clothes Dryer Blamed for Fire that Left 10 Homeless - By Katrina Webber - KSLA CBS News Channel 12 (3/25/2008)
SHREVEPORT, LA - Shreveport fire investigators believe a clothes dryer caused a fire that destroyed a home early Tuesday morning. Ten people were inside when the fire broke out around 1:00 a. m. All of them managed to get out of the home, in the 3300 block of Frederick Street, safely, although firefighters say they had to treat one woman who became upset. Firefighters say flames and smoke were coming out of the front door by the time they arrived. The house, though, could not be saved. The fire caused heavy damage throughout it.
Fire in Dryer Displaces 4 - The Republican (3/23/2008)
SPRINGFIELD, MA - A clothes dryer fire caused $40,000 damage and displaced four residents, said Fire Department spokesman Lt. Michael Richard. No one was injured in the fire, which was reported just before 10 p.m., he said. Four residents were home when the fire started but everyone got out in time, he said. Investigators determined the fire started in a basement dryer.
Dryer Fire Spreads, Destroys Home - By Geoff Larcom - The Ann Arbor News (3/22/2008)
ANN ARBOR, MI - A fire that started in a dryer and spread to a nearby electrical panel destroyed a home in Ypsilanti Township early Saturday morning. No one was injured in the fire. The residents were evacuated and taken by the Washtenaw County chapter of the American Red Cross to a nearby hotel, said Ypsilanti Township Fire Capt. Kurt Owings.
Dryer Fire in Akron Causes $25,000 in Damage - Akron Beacon Journal (3/21/2008)
AKRON, OH - A blaze that apparently began in a dryer caused $25,000 in damages at a home on Akron's Bank Street. Firefighters responded to the blaze in the 800 block of Bank Street, in East Akron, on Thursday afternoon. The fire spread from the basement to the floor above, the fire department said.
Dryer Fire Damages Salon - The Sun Chronicle (3/21/2008)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA - Firefighters extinguished a fire Thursday morning at a salon started accidentally by a clothes dryer. Firefighters were dispatched at 2:20 a.m. after receiving an alarm and found the fire in the laundry room, Fire Chief Peter Lamb said. Lamb said the damage was estimated at $30,000 to $50,000. The fire damage was limited to the laundry room, but smoke went throughout the building.
North Wilkes Fire Claims Home - The News Reporter (3/20/2008)
WASHINGTON, GA - Ernest Clark looks on at his nearly destroyed home Monday morning on the Elberton Highway north of Tignall. Clark said he and his wife escaped unharmed after a fire started in a clothes dryer vent. Fire Chief Alan Poss said that the lack of volunteer firefighters in the area during the day was a problem, but firefighters were able to save part of the home that housed family photo albums and heirloom firearms.
Woman Rescued from Roanoke Home Fire - By Neil Harvey - The Roanoke Times (3/20/2008)
ROANOKE, VA - Fire crews rescued a woman Wednesday afternoon after a fire trapped her on the second floor of a Southwest Roanoke building. When firefighters arrived, Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury said, "they found a person who was hanging out of her second-floor window." The woman, Bradbury said, was trapped by a fire burning inside a clothes dryer. Crews used a ladder to help the woman down and rescued her dog. The fire caused about $3,000 in damage, mostly smoke and water.
Dryer Fire in Montpelier - The Barre Montpelier Times Argus (3/18/2008)
BARRE, VT - A fire that started in the dryer and spread to the vent of an upstairs bathroom was called in around 9:40 p.m. The incident caused minor damage to a condominium and one person inside escaped without injury. Had the smoke alarm not gone off, the fire could have been more harmful, according to Montpelier Fire Chief Gesualdo Schneider. Schneider attributed the fire to lint build up in the dryer.
Structure Fire in Princeton Area - WVVA NBC Channel 6 News (3/9/2008)
PRINCETON, IL - This afternoon the Princeton Fire Department was called to a house fire along Straley Avenue. A dryer caught on fire and spread into the room. The fire was contained in that room, and firefighters were able to get it under control.
Clothes Up in Smoke During Dryer Fire - Northwest Florida Daily News (3/9/2008)
OCEAN CITY, FL - The Ocean City-Wright Department contained a small dryer fire Sunday that caused an estimated $5,000 in smoke and heat damage in the laundry room of the Pier 1 apartment complex. Responding to an emergency call at 11:11 a.m., firefighters discovered smoke coming from the rear of the structure.
Fire Leaves Family of 4 Homeless - By Michelle Dupler - Mid Columbia Tri City Herald (3/8/2008)
BENTON CITY, WA - A family of four lost everything in a fire in their mobile home Saturday, relatives said. All of the family's belongings were destroyed in the fire. They had no insurance. Templeton believed the family had lived in the single-wide mobile home for about seven years. "It's gutted," Templeton said. "There's nothing left. It's totally black. Whatever walls are still standing are smoldering." Templeton said firefighters she talked to at the scene believed the fire started in the dryer.
Clothes Dryer Fire Displaces Couple - Castro Valley Forum (3/5/2008)
CASTRO VALLEY, CA - A clothes dryer started a fire that damaged a house in the Washington Manor neighborhood last Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze within ten minutes, largely containing it to the garage where the dryer was located and the front of the house. No one was injured in the blaze.
Clothes Dryer Fire Displaces Couple - Lexington Dispatch (3/5/2008)
LEXINGTON, NC - A Holly Grove couple’s home was damaged by a fire sometime Tuesday between 2:15 and 6:45 p.m., said Holly Grove Fire Department Assistant Chief Herbert Frank. Holly Grove, Central and Triangle volunteer fire departments responded to the call. The fire began in the clothes dryer, Frank said. Fire damage was limited to the laundry room, but smoke and heat damage affected the entire home. The homeowners went to stay with family, he added.
Dryer Blamed For Apartment Fire - WLWT NBC News Channel 5 (3/4/2008)
MIAMI TOWNSHIP, OH - A fire damaged at least one apartment at a Miami Township complex early Tuesday morning. When firefighters arrived, they found the two-story apartment filled with smoke and a fire on the second floor. The fire was knocked down relatively quickly, but extensive work was necessary due to fire extension in the wall, ceiling and floor, said Assistant Fire Chief Harold Thiele. Thiele said it appears a clothes dryer is to blame for the fire, which did about $20,000 damage.
Dryer Blaze - Vineland Daily Journal (3/3/2008)
VINELAND, NJ - Firefighters extinguished a small laundry fire at a group home. Fire Capt. Robert Scarpa said the blaze started in a dryer and caused damage to the laundry room. There was also heavy smoke damage throughout the house, he said. Eight residents live in the one-story home, and no one was injured, Scarpa said. Firefighters were on the scene for about an hour.
Clothes Dryer Caused Deadly Chesapeake House Fire - The Daily Press (2/29/2008)
CHESAPEAKE, VA - Chesapeake fire officials say a clothes dryer caused a fire that killed three people in a house fire Thursday. Authorities have not released the names of the victims, who were found in a room above the garage at the home. Captain Steve Johnson said all three are believed to have been between the ages of 18 and 25. He said one of the victims apparently went upstairs to help the other two but ended up trapped with them.
Teen Escapes Injury in San Leandro Fire - By Jason Sweeney - The Daily Review (2/29/2008)
SAN LEANDRO, CA - A malfunctioning clothes dryer sparked a fire that caused extensive damage Wednesday afternoon to a home on Farnsworth Street, fire officials said. Alameda County firefighters arrived at the one-story, single family home at about 3:30 p.m., according to Alameda County Fire spokeswoman Aisha Knowles. Heavy smoke was coming out of the front of the residence and was visible from five blocks away, Knowles said. Firefighters extinguished the fire within 10 minutes of their arrival, Knowles said. There were no injuries, but firefighters were unable to locate the cats. A dryer in the garage was determined to be the cause and origin of the fire, Knowles said. The house suffered extensive fire, smoke and water damage.
Fire Kills Mother, Son Who Tried to Save Her - By Edward Colimore and Peter Mucha - The Philadelphia Inquirer (2/28/2008)
CHERRY HILL, NJ - Fourteen-year-old Bobby Ferrell had already escaped his burning home in Jobstown, Burlington County, authorities said. But standing outside with his brother and sister early yesterday, he realized that their mother was inside, apparently trapped on the second floor. The athletic ninth grader raced back into the smoke and flames to save her. Neither he nor his mother, Michelle Ferrell, escaped the four-alarm fire, which gutted their house in rural Springfield Township near Fort Dix. Ferrell, 53, and her children were home shortly after 4:30 a.m. when the fire broke out in a clothes dryer.
Lint-filled Dryer Blamed for Fire - Erie Times News (2/27/2008)
ERIE, PA - Erie firefighters spent part of the morning Tuesday dousing a blaze believed to have started in a clothes dryer. Firefighters said they responded to the call at 1:56 a.m. Tuesday and had the fire under control by 2:30 a.m. The fire started in a gas dryer in the basement, fire inspectors said. They said the dryer's lint trap was full and the lint caught fire. The fire was contained to the basement, but there was some smoke damage to the house's upstairs, fire inspectors said.
Family Displaced Following Fire - Boca News (2/26/2008)
BOCA RATON, FL - Boca Raton firefighters responded to a structure fire at 6503 N. Military Trail. Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the structure. Firefighters made entry and found the fire in the laundry closet in the kitchen area and quickly extinguished the fire. Fire officials stated that the fire appears to have originated in the clothes dryer. Damage is estimated at approximately $50,000. Eight families were evacuated and the occupants of the affected apartment were displaced.
Dryer Fire Destroys Mosinee Home - Wausau Daily Herald (2/25/2008)
WAUSAU, WI - A Mosinee mobile home was destroyed Saturday evening in a fire thought to have been caused by a dryer, according to the Marathon County Sheriff's Department. Nicole Boe, 21, was working on her laptop computer Saturday evening when she smelled smoke in the mobile home owned by her father, according to the police report. When she saw flames coming out of the dryer and could not put them out, she and her brother, Timothy Boe, 23, fled the home, calling police. Their father was not at home at the time of the fire, which police reports say is thought to have been caused by a faulty dryer part or a clogged lint filter. The home was a total loss, police said.
Apartment Fire Displaces Family - By Luis F. Perez - The Sun Sentinel (2/24/2008)
BOCA RATON, FL - A Saturday apartment fire in Boca Raton caused eight families to be evacuated and displaced one. The occupant of the apartment came home to find the door knob hot to the touch, said Frank Corregio, public information officer for the Boca Raton fire department. She opened the door, noticed heavy smoke and called 911, he said. Firefighters found the fire in a kitchen-area laundry closet. Investigators said the fire appears to have started in the clothes dryer. Fire officials estimate the fire caused about $50,000 in damage.
Apartment Fire in Dunbar - By Amanda Weber - The State Journal (2/23/2008)
DUNBAR, WV - A fire in Kanawha County leaves folks without a place to stay Saturday night. The fire broke out just before six Saturday night. No one was injured but some of the tenants had to be evacuated from the building. &nsbp;Firefighters say it appears a dryer started the fire. One apartment is a complete loss.
Aide Dies After Helping Elderly Evacuate Fire - By Kate Augusto - The Boston Globe (2/21/2008)
BOSTON, MA - A 51-year-old nursing assistant died today in Lowell after she helped evacuate elderly residents from a nursing home during a small fire in a dryer. Rawlene Lizotte collapsed outside the Fairhaven Healthcare Center after helping to evacuate six residents, said Deputy Chief Patrick McCabe of the Lowell Fire Department. Rescuers tried to resuscitate Lizotte and rushed her to Lowell General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Firefighters responded to the fire, which started in a dryer in the laundry room.
Dryer in Basement Starts Fire - By Victoria E. Freile - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (2/20/2008)
ROCHESTER, NY - Firefighters in Greece battled a basement fire that started in a clothes dryer. Two children, ages 12 and 14, were sleeping in the two-story house when the fire ignited, but they escaped safely before firefighters arrived, said Barnard Fire Chief Jim Gallagher. Gallagher said it appeared that the blaze started in an operating clothes dryer and quickly spread to clothes piled on top and near the dryer. The basement had moderate fire damage and charred structural beams, rafters and some electrical wiring, Gallagher said. The remainder of the house had moderate smoke damage.
Fire Goes to Two Alarms - McMinnville News-Register (2/19/2008)
YAMHILL, OR - A two-alarm fire Monday morning caused $75,000 to $100,000 damage to a Yamhill home and its contents. The blaze went to two alarms, with Carlton, Gaston and Yamhill firefighters responding. The residence is owned by Steve Belt, who has been renting it to Elmer Wyatt. Wyatt was not home. The fire was traced to an electric dryer.
Dryer Fire - Watertown Tab & Press (2/19/2008)
NEEDHAM, MA - Police and fire departments both responded to Grey’s Laundromat on Church Street with reports of a dryer fire. According to reports, when an officer arrived at the scene, he saw flames coming out of “dryer no. 1” and used an extinguisher to help put out the fire. The fire department arrived shortly after to put the remainder of the fire out. Estimated damage is $6,000, which includes the dryer itself and smoke damage to the wall.
House Damaged by Fire - Quincy Herald Whig (2/18/2008)
QUINCY, IL - A Quincy residence was heavily damaged in a fire early this morning. Twelve firefighters were dispatched to the scene and found the back of the house engulfed in flames when they arrived. Quincy Fire Assistant Chief Rob Tipton said the fire was started by a gas dryer. Flames damaged the kitchen and the back portion of the house, with heat and smoke damage reported to the rest of structure. The house sustained heavy damage, Tipton said.
House Fire - By Mark Puente - The Plain Dealer (2/16/2008)
CLEVELAND, OH - Two months after Howard and Kathy Brown paid off their mortgage, their house was destroyed in a fire Friday that also killed their dog. At least the couple are alive, their daughter said. "All of my memories from my childhood are gone," Kim Hixenbaugh said, fighting back tears. The Browns were not injured, but Tippy, their pet Shih Tzu, was killed. The house is a total loss, firefighters said. Accumulated lint in a dryer vent ignited and caused the fire, Assistant Chief David McNeilly said.
Fire Reported - Beaver County Times (2/15/2008)
BEAVER, PA - A clothes dryer fire at Rosemont Apartments, 199 Rosemont Drive, Moon Township, forced the evacuation of several residents around 3 p.m. Thursday. Moon Fire Chief Charles Belgie Jr. said no one was injured and residents were allowed to return to their apartments as soon as firefighters aired out the building.
Dryer Fire Causes Scare - WZZM ABC News Channel 13 (2/12/2008)
CROCKERY TOWNSHIP, MI - A woman in Crockery Township got quite a scare this morning when her clothes dryer caught on fire and spread to the rest of the house. The fire department was called to the home around 9:00am. The woman reported a few moments later that she heard an explosion. The fire department says these types of fires can be prevented by cleaning out the lint trap and dryer vent.
House Fire Traced to Bad Dryer Venting - By Barney Lerten - KTVZ NBC News Channel 21 (2/12/2008)
BEND, OR - Inadequate dryer venting sparked a laundry-room fire that caused extensive heat and smoke damage throughout a La Pine-area home, officials said. The blaze spread throughout the laundry room area and began to reach into the attic space above the laundry room of the two-bedroom home, built in 1975 and valued at $285,000.
A Dryer Is Blamed For a Nursing Home Fire - WHIO TV Channel 7 News (2/12/2008)
NEW LEBANON, OH - Fire investigators said a clothes dryer caught fire Tuesday morning at a nursing home frightening the residents. It happened at the New Lebanon Harborside Health Care Center on Mills road. Crews quickly brought the fire under control, and no evacuations were necessary. There are no reports on the extent of the damage.
Woman Taken to Hospital After Fire Destroys Home - By Jaime Adame -- Wenatchee World (2/11/2008)
LEAVENWORTH, WA - A fire that began in a clothes dryer destroyed a single-wide mobile home Sunday, said Capt. Bill Horner of Chelan County Fire District 3. A woman in her 20s was taken by ambulance to be treated for smoke inhalation at Central Washington Hospital, said Horner. He said he did not know her name, but that she was a resident of the home and able to speak with firefighters at the scene. Horner said three-quarters of the home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. It took about an hour to contain the fire, but the home and all its contents were destroyed.
Smoke detectors credited for saving 3 - WWMT CBS News Channel 3 (2/11/2008)
KALAMAZOO, MI - A Kalamazoo family is safe thanks to working smoke detectors in their home. A woman and her two children were able to get out of their home in time Saturday night after a fire started inside. Investigators think a dryer is to blame. It took crews about 20 minutes to get that fire under control.
Dryer Blamed in Brothers 2 Fire - By Jim Wright - Press & Sun Bulletin (2/7/2008)
ENDWELL, NY - A popular Endwell restaurant, Brothers 2, early Wednesday became the latest in a string of unrelated fires in the Binghamton area in the past seven days. Fire investigators said the origin of the fire was a gas dryer in the basement below the kitchen of the restaurant. "The first firefighter into the basement said the flames appeared to be in the area of the drum in the dryer, and the floor joists right above the dryer were burned off," said Broome County Senior Fire Investigator Thomas Vroman. Firefighters were at the scene for nearly six hours dealing with the fire, which was confined to the basement, said Endwell Fire Chief John Ruck. The fire burned a hole in the kitchen floor, officials said.
Dryer To Blame For Apartment Fire - WPXI News (2/6/2008)
EAST HUNTINGDON, PA - Firefighters had to rescue one person at the New Stanton Commons on Sonny Lane in East Huntingdon Township around 10 p.m. Tuesday. It's believed a faulty dryer may be to blame. A resident put a load of laundry in to it. When the person came down a few hours later, the dryer had caught on fire. The fire was contained to the laundry room, but smoke flooded the building.
Dryer Vent Caused Overnight Fire - By Megan V. Winslow - Vero Beach Press (2/6/2008)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - The Red Cross is providing aid to a local family of five after a flames damaged the attic and electrical system of their home late Tuesday night. St. Lucie County Fire District officials believe the fire started from a dryer vent at the home, located in the 300 block of Southwest Tulip Boulevard. Officials arrived at the home about 11 p.m., according to the Fire District.
Dryer Fire Displaces Four From Midtown Home - Alexis Huicochea - Arizona Daily Star (2/5/2008)
TUCSON, AZ - Four people were displaced Tuesday evening after a fire broke out at their Midtown home, an official said. No injuries were reported but the blaze did cause an estimated $150,000 in damage. The fire has been ruled accidental and is believed to have started in the dryer, said Capt. Norm Carlton, a Tucson Fire Department spokesman.
Two Cats Die, Firefighter Injured in Early Morning Fire - The Morning Journal (2/3/2008)
LORAIN, OH - An early morning fire at a Toledo Avenue home left two cats dead and a firefighter injured, according to Lorain fire officials. A neighbor called the fire department at 5:27 a.m. to report the house at 3624 Toledo Ave. was on fire. The fire started in the back of the house on the first floor, and it appears it was caused by an electrical dryer, Lorain Fire Capt. Jeff Fenn said. The fire extended up the back of the house. Fenn estimated the damage to the structure $30,000. The house is not liveable, he said.
Fire Displaces 3 in Springfield - The Republican (2/3/2008)
SPRINGFIELD, MA - A cellar fire in a 1½ story residence displaced a mother and her two young children and caused approximately $5,000 to $10,000 in damage, a Fire Department spokesman said yesterday. Jeannine Pouliot and her children were alerted by a carbon monoxide alarm and escaped the house without injury, said the spokesman, who said the fire was caused by a clothes dryer. The three plan to live temporarily with Pouliot's family in Springfield, he said.
Home Destroyed in Sunday Afternoon Fire - WAFF NBC News Channel 48 (2/3/2008)
SOMERVILLE, AL - Somerville Firefighters worked a house fire earlier that destroyed a house Sunday afternoon. The fire happened on East Street just off of Center Springs Road in Morgan County. The house was engulfed when firefighters arrived on scene. Investigators believe the fire started in the dryer. An elderly woman who lives in the house had oxygen tanks inside, which exploded from the fire and heat. Everyone made it out safely, though the house is a total loss.
Fire Extinguished at MB Hotel - By Kurt Knapek - Myrtle Beach Sun News (1/28/2008)
MYRTLE BEACH, SC - The Myrtle Beach Fire Department extinguished a dryer fire on Monday at the Blue Bay Motel, according to Assistant Chief Dan Cimini. The fire was reported at 2:20 p.m. and put out a few minutes later at the motel located on 1402 N. Ocean Blvd., Cimini said. The dryer was located in a laundry room on the first floor of the building. One employee suffered minor injuries, but was was not expected to be transported to a hospital, Cimini said.
Fire Destroys Crab Apple Lane Home - The Daily News Journal (1/27/2008)
MURFREESBORO, TN - A house fire that apparently started in the laundry room destroyed a home at 5918 Crab Apple Lane Sunday afternoon. “The dryer caught fire and the house was a total loss, I’m told,” said Detective Sgt. Dan Goodwin of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department. The home was the residence of Terry and Sheree McBurney who lived in the home with their three children. The living room, kitchen, utility room and master bedroom were gutted, and the children’s bedrooms sustained water and smoke damage.
Dryer Catches Fire at Retirement Home - Rochester Post-Bulletin (1/26/2008)
ROCHESTER, MN - Two or three people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in the basement of a retirement home this morning, Rochester Fire Marshall Vance Swisher said. The fire started in a dryer at Beverly Health Care and Rehab East, 501 Eighth Ave. S.E., Swisher said. The smoke spread through the lower level, and residents there were temporarily moved. Staff members tried to fight the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived. Damage was estimated at $10,000.
Two People Treated for Smoke Inhalation - Visalia Times-Delta (1/24/2008)
VISALIA, CA - Two people were treated for smoke inhalation after a dryer caught fire at an assisted living facility in southwest Visalia this morning. Visalia firemen were called to the 3000 block of West Caldwell Avenue at about 6:17 a.m. Firefighters had to force their way into a laundry room in the south wing of the facility, and found clothes smoldering in a commercial dryer. Damage of about $2,600 was limited to the clothes in the dryer and the machine itself, according to a Visalia fire report.
House fire on Crenshaw - Visalia Times-Delta (1/24/2008)
VISALIA, CA - At 7:42 a.m., Visalia firefighters were called to a fire at 1030 S. Crenshaw St., damaging the house but causing no injuries. Three teen-age boys were home when the fire started, said neighbor Terry Seth and the boys' uncle, Malik Lee. Both said the fire started in a dryer. The boys, whose mother was at work, smelled smoke and tracked it to the dryer. One of the boys opened the dryer and flames leaped out. They were able to escape without injury. By about 8:30 a.m., firefighters were mopping up from the fire. Charred furniture stood in the driveway and it looked like the living room had burned.
Family Homeless after Fire - By Laura Stradiotto - The Sudbury Star (1/24/2008)
SUDBURY, ONTARIO, CANADA - Clothes and furniture destroyed in a house fire can be replaced, but pictures of a mother's four children are priceless. "I'm having a real hard time with that - losing their baby pictures. All the other stuff is just material stuff," said Rachelle Brown. Brown and her four children - Victoria, 12, Matthew, 10, Lauren, 9 and Emma, 7 - were left homeless after a fire that originated in a dryer consumed her house.
House Fire Sparked by Dryer - By Mark Arner - San Diego Union Tribune (1/23/2008)
NATIONAL CITY, CA - The fire at the home on Third Street, near J Avenue, was sparked by a malfunctioning dryer in the garage, said investigators from the National City Fire Department. It caused $35,000 damage: $30,000 to the garage and $5,000 to its contents, said a spokesman for the Heartland Fire dispatching service. The fire was reported about 11:15 a.m. Sixteen firefighters responded minutes later from National City and San Diego, with three engines and a truck, and brought the blaze under control in seven minutes. No one was injured.
House Fire Kills Six Cats - By Susan Younger - The County Press (1/23/2008)
LAPEER, MI - Three long-time Dryden Township family members are displaced following an early morning dryer fire that killed six of their pet cats. "The homeowner called it in to 9-1-1," said Dryden Township Fire Chief Ray Evans. "She was drying clothes and her dryer started to smoke. It spread quickly." "We contained the fire to the kitchen and the laundry room," Evans said. "The rest of the home had smoke and water damage." The family was able to save their two pet dogs, but six pet cats were lost in the fire.
Mother and Son Die in Fire at Home - By Paul Nelson - Albany Times Union (1/21/2008)
STUYVESANT , NY - A woman and her baseball-loving 11-year-old son died Sunday as they tried to extinguish a fire that started in a clothes dryer, authorities said. The fire did little damage to Malea Gravlin's home, but authorities believe the smoke was enough to kill the two. Stuyvesant Fire Chief Steve Montie said the fire started sometime between 3:30 and 4 p.m. in Malea Gravlin's one-story, wood-frame home. Officials say it appears a dryer in the house caught fire and the two were overcome by smoke as they tried to put out the flames.
Morning Dryer Fire at Beacon Hills Unit - Courier News (1/19/2008)
BRIDGEWATER, NJ - A dryer fire Friday in a condominium unit at Beacon Hill forced residents in surrounding units to be evacuated for awhile. Police and fire received the call of a fire at 9:09 a.m., said Bridgewater police Lt. Jill Delin. The fire was located on the second floor of the two- and three-bedroom townhouse units. Delin said Bunag was taken to Somerset Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Woman Injured in North Codorus Fire - The Evening Sun (1/18/2008)
HANOVER, PA - An elderly North Codorus township resident was treated for smoke inhalation Thursday night, after her trailer home caught fire. At 8:33 p.m., North Codorus Township Fire Co. and the Southwestern Regional Police received a report of smoke odor coming from the home of Elizabeth Stermer, 80, of 129 Rustique Drive. When they arrived at the home, the rear of the structure was in flames, and eventually the entire structure sustained fire and smoke damage. It is believed the fire started in a clothes dryer vent. Stermer escaped from her home and was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. A neighbor who heard the fire reported over a scanner and came to Stermer's aid was also treated for smoke inhalation.
Blaze Displaces Care Center Residents - Asbury Park Press (1/17/2008)
HOWELL, NJ - A dryer fire at the Meridian Pinewood assisted living facility temporarily displaced about 30 residents for roughly two hours at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday because of smoke. Sgt. Scott Wall said the residents did not actually leave the building but were taken to an adjoining portion of the structure not affected by the smoke. A large number of emergency workers from Howell and surrounding communities responded to be available to evacuate anyone who needed to get to another location.
School Evacuated after Fire in Clothes Dryer - KGAN Channel 2 CBS News (1/14/2008)
SIOUX CITY, IA - A TUMBLE dryer is thought to be the cause of a garage fire at a home in London Colney yesterday evening. The family of four in Kings Road were alerted to the fire by neighbours who spotted smoke billowing out the windows. Two crews from St Albans fire station were able to stop the fire spreading to the house, but it had already caused severe damage to the garage. No-one was hurt in the blaze, which took fire firefighters around an hour to put out.
Home Destroyed by Fire - Savannah Morning News (1/10/2008)
GUYTON, GA - The home of Don and Sandra Lowery on Shearouse Road was destroyed in a fire last week. Effingham County Fire and Rescue Chief Val Ashcraft said firefighters arrived shortly after 2 p.m. Jan. 2. Ashcraft said the fire began in the dryer and spread to the roof. "I wouldn't say it burned to the ground, but with the amount of damage that was sustained to the home, it's not repairable," Ashcraft said. According to reports, the home was not insured and was a total loss.
Clothes Dryer Lint Causes Apartment Fire - By Theo Travers - WREG-TV CBS Memphis (1/9/2008)
MEMPHIS, TN - The fire began shortly after 4:00 Wednesday morning. Firefighters quickly put out the flames and came to the same conclusion the tenant did: that a clothes dryer sparked the fire. Only one apartment unit was damaged by fire, but three apartments nearby were also evacuated. Those apartments nearby also suffered minor smoke and water damage. The leasing managers plan to relocate those displaced to other apartments on the property.
Fire Destroys Mobile Home - By Lori Monsewicz - Canton Repository (1/9/2008)
CANTON, OH - A township couple lost their home to fire Saturday afternoon when their clothes dryer ignited. Lynn Halsey, who is due to give birth in July, said she was at work and her boyfriend, Mike Brady, and his aunt, Chris Brady, were at home when the 2 p.m. fire broke out at their singlewide mobile home. East Sparta Fire Chief Arnold Adams said the laundry room and contents were destroyed and the remainder of the mobile home sustained heavy smoke damage.
House Fire Displaces Family - By Chelsea Michels - Pocono Record (1/6/2008)
ASBURY PARK , NJ - A house fire on Asbury Avenue displaced five residents and closed a road for several hours Saturday afternoon, officials said. A fire in a laundry dryer at 1328 Asbury Ave. was reported around 2:30 p.m., according to Asbury Park Fire Inspector Garrett M. Giberson. The blaze, which was mainly in the rear of the house in the laundry room and kitchen, emitted heavy smoke and had started to extend to the second-floor area, he said. Giberson said that the fire is being considered accidental, and it originated in the dryer, where the tenant was doing laundry and noticed that clothes were on fire. The fire displaced an adult and four children, and the house will remain uninhabitable for a long time, Giberson said.
Family Displaced by Fire - Pocono Record (1/5/2008)
GOULDSBORO, PA - A Friday night fire destroyed a mobile home in Pocono Mobile Manor off Route 435. No one was injured in the 6:10 p.m. fire, which started in a dryer, according to reports. Chris and Jennifer Martinez and their four children, ages 8, 5, 4 and two weeks, were displaced. The family was home at the time and managed to escape with the clothes on their backs, losing all else in the fire, said Anthony Crawn of East Stroudsburg, father of Jennifer Martinez.
Clothes Dryer Blamed for House Fire - The Times of Trenton (1/4/2008)
HAMILTON, NJ - A blaze that began in the basement destroyed a house on Pintinalli Drive last night, leaving a longtime newspaper reporter and his family homeless, fire and police officials said. Officials said it appeared to have originated in the clothes dryer. Officials said a member of the O'Gorman family, going into the basement to do laundry, spotted flames coming from the dryer and called 911 about 5:50 p.m. Thick smoke was billowing from the one-story home and flames were leaping from the basement windows when the first firefighters arrived, officials said. Officials said the fire and smoke damage sustained to the home had rendered it uninhabitable.
Dryer Sparks Small Fire in Ramona - North County Times (1/2/2008)
RAMONA, CA - A dryer fire, possibly caused by built-up lint, caused about $2,500 of damage to a single-family house Wednesday night, fire Capt. Don Davis said. Five fire engines responded to the fire in the 300 block of North Hunter Drive at about 6:35 p.m., Davis said. The fire, mostly confined to the home's laundry room, was under control by the time firefighters arrived after the homeowner doused it with a garden hose, he said. No one was injured in the fire, and the family was allowed to stay in the house. The cause is under investigation, but Davis said it may have been started by lint that ignited in the vent hose.
Mobile Home Destroyed by Fire - KKTV CBS 11 News (1/2/2008)
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - A Colorado Springs family is homeless after a dryer fire destroys their trailer. The fire erupted in the home in the Lamplighter Mobile Home Park at 3280 S. Academy around 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. Everyone inside the house was able to get out safely, but the home is a total loss. The Colorado Springs Fire Department is still investigating, but they say the fire may have been sparked by a faulty clothes dryer.
