Dryer Fire Articles (2013)

WESTFORD, MA - Fire destroyed a home in Westford, Mass. on Friday, leaving a family without many of their belongings.  But they're starting to get their lives back on track, thanks to the community.  They say the community support has been incredible.  The fire, which started in the family's dryer, killed four of their cats.

COOKEVILLE, TN - The sprinkler system in an apartment stopped a fire that started in a dryer from spreading to other areas of the home, fire officials say.  Crews were called to the 400 block of Buffalo Valley Road after residents in an apartment there discovered that a fire had started in their dryer, Capt. Matt White said.  "The occupant was inside drying clothes and noticed the smoke," White said. "He opened up the dryer and it flamed up on him." "The sprinkler system did exactly what it was supposed to do," White said. "When the sprinkler head got hot enough, it discharged and the water put most of it out except just a little bit inside the dryer.  Crews arrived and put out the remainder of the fire, White said.  The sprinkler discharge did leave some water for the building's maintenance workers to clean up, but that mess is much less than what could have been left behind without the sprinklers, according to White.

BRUNSWICK, NY - The fire was caused by an overheated dryer, according to Mountain View Fire Company Assistant Chief John Houser Jr.  The fire started around 4 p.m. in the rear of the second floor in the laundry room.  Houser said that while 50 to 75 firefighters were at the scene, it was a difficult fire to fight since it spread to the attic and a ladder truck was required.  Nine adults have been displaced from the two-story structure which had two apartments.  "There was a lot of water damage," Houser said. "The building is not liveable."

BEDFORD, IN - Firefighters from Shawswick and Guthrie Volunteer Fire Departments were able to extinguish a dryer fire Wednesday preventing damage to a home on Locksley Court.  When firefighters arrived they found a stackable-washer dryer unit on fire in the basement.  "The fire started in the dryer," says Shawswick VFD Chief Bob Brown.  "There was minimal smoke damage and the fire just blackened the wall."

HILLTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA - A fire at an apartment in the 200 block of Washington Place in Hilltown Township, started in a clothes dryer, Telford Volunteer Fire Company Chief Bob Wiszneski said.  "It was contained to the first floor," within about 10 minutes, he said.  The building also had a second-floor apartment, which received some smoke damage, he said.  About 50 firefighters from the Telford, Souderton, Tylersport, Harleysville, Sellersville and Trumbauersville departments responded to the fire, he said.

HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA - Hamilton fire crews quickly contained a house fire that was started by a dryer in the basement.  Just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, eight units were called to a semi-detached home when someone in the house called 911 after discovering a fire inside of the dryer.  The person left the dryer open after fleeing the home and the flames reached the ceiling in the basement laundry room.  Public information officer Claudio Mostacci said there was smoke throughout the home and approximately $10,000 damage.  Mostacci said the fire department responds to a lot of dryer fires.  "People don't realize that you need to clean out the lint underneath, it gets hot and the lint can catch."

PAULSBORO, NJ - A fire on Summit Avenue in Paulsboro Wednesday night displaced a family of seven.  The one-alarm fire was sparked by a dryer, authorities said, and the home had heavy smoke damage.  Fire officials returned to the scene about 2:15 a.m. Thursday morning because of continued heavy smoke.

HENRICO, VA - Humboldt Bay Fire responded to a call reporting smoke emerging from a residence in Eureka.  Three fire engines, one ladder engine and two fire chief officers responded.  Firefighters found the homeowner's clothes dryer had caught fire with flames spreading toward the attic.   After two-and-a-half hours, fire fighters were able to put out the flames, along with the subsequent hot spots, and ventilate the building.  The fire and smoke damage is estimated at around $25,000, according to Humboldt Bay Fire.  Humboldt Bay Fire said that this incident is an example of what can happen when dryer lint traps and ducting are not cleaned on a regular basis.

HENRICO, VA - A homeowner was displaced after a house fire, Tuesday night.  When crews arrived, they quickly extinguished the fire, which prevented the fire blaze potentially spreading to the rest of the house.  Officials believe the fire started in a clothes dryer, which was on when the unit's vent hose caught fire.  According to the US Fire Administration, dryers fires cause about $35 million in property damage each year.  The majority of these fires were caused by built up lint in the dryer and/or dryer vent.  Henrico fire officials urge homeowners to clean dryer vent traps and vent hoses regularly.

SIOUX FALLS, SD - A house in Sioux Falls' North End has smoke damage after a fire Sunday night.  Sioux Falls Fire Rescue responded to the fire at 10:30 p.m., according to a news release from Battalion Chief Jay Titus.  First-arriving units found a fire inside a clothes dryer in the basement.  The fire was under control in about five minutes.  Sioux Falls Fire Rescue responded with two support vehicles, five fire trucks and 22 firefighters.

LAFAYETTE, IN - The Lafayette Fire Department put out a house fire Sunday which homeowners said started in the dryer.  Crews responded to the scene 11:30 a.m.  Homeowners said they noticed the lint inside the dryer sparking and tried putting it out.  In a matter of minutes the house was engulfed in flames.  Fire inspector Gary Bennett said it's important to make sure you clean out your dryer on a regular basis.  "Even if you clean the lint trap out you need to check the duct monthly and clean it out when necessary.  You may want to have someone come and service the entire dryer for you annually," Bennett said.

NEPTUNE CITY, NJ - The Neptune City Fire Department quickly put out a fire that started in a dryer in the basement of a Third Avenue home after son arrives home and sees his house full of smoke.  He immediately called police and authorities who realized that some part of the house was engulfed in flames.  The Neptune City Fire Department arrived quickly after the 4:51 p.m. call and worked to limit the damage to the basement, Edward D. Kirschenbaum Sr., Neptune City's director of Public Safety said. The house was saved but the family will stay with friends while the investigation continued, officials said.  "If he did not come home when he did, the entire structure would have been engulfed," Kirschenbaum said.

DENNISON, OH - Firefighters were summoned to N. First Street, at about 10:50 a.m., Thursday, after a dryer in a utility room caught fire due to lint buildup.  According to Fire Fighter Shayne Dorland, the fire was contained to the dryer.

HAYWARD, CA - Lint built up in a dryer vent sparked a one-alarm blaze at a four-story apartment complex on Monday morning, a fire spokesman said.  No one was injured in the fire which broke out at the 72-unit Creekwood Apartments complex, said Hayward Fire spokesman Don Nichelson.  Fire crews responded to the blaze after a passerby dialled 911, Nichelson said.  Firefighters determined the blaze started in a common laundry area on the building's fourth-floor and had the fire out about a half-hour after they arrived at the scene.  Nichelson said that it appears lint in a dryer caught fire.  The flames then spread to the wall and ceiling and then to an adjacent apartment where two people lived.

WAREHAM, MA - Wareham firefighters knocked down a basement fire that started in a dryer in a single-story residence at Sandwich Road Wednesday morning.  Firefighters were called to the home by the residents at 9:12 a.m., and the fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes.  Firefighters estimated damages to the basement to be about $5,000.

NORTH CALDWELL, NJ - A fire that started in a dryer of a home was extinguished by the North Caldwell Fire Department, but not before sending out heavy smoke throughout the home.  Police received a 911 call from the homeowner at 10:14 p.m. about a fire in the dryer.  When the police arrived, the home had been evacuated, smoke detectors were sounding and heavy smoke issued from the house.  Residual smoke was removed from the home by exhaust fans.  There was minor damage to the home, said Fire Chief John D'Ascensio.  "We would like to remind everyone to clean the lint filter before and after each cycle.  Also don't forget to clean the back of the dryer where lint can build up," D'Ascensio said. "Also, you should check that the venting system from the dryer is not damaged, crushed or restricted."

SHELTON, CT - Shelton volunteer fire companies 1,3 and 5 were dispatched to the Country Place condo complex for a dryer fire, according to a post on the Echo Hose Facebook page.  Shelton-CondoDryerFire1Car 3 arrived and reported moderate smoke showing from the second floor of a condo unit.  Engine 2 arrived shortly after and stretched a hose line to the second floor, finding a dryer on fire with extension to the laundry room area.  The fire was quickly extinguishe and companies opened up and checked for extension and ventilated the structure.

PORT HURON, MI - A person was transported to the hospital after a dryer fire Thursday.  Port Huron Fire Capt. Mark Ford said crews were called to a residence in the 100 block of 16th Street for a dryer fire.  Ford said the home owner put out the fire before rescue crews arrived.  A neighbor helping to extinguish the fire was taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation, Ford said.

GUTTENBERG, NJ - Residents of a two-story building were evacuated Sunday after a fire in the first-floor public laundry caused heavy smoke to spread throughout the building, fire officials said.  The fire started in a dryer in the laundry, officials said.  The one-alarm blaze was quickly extinguished, but the extensive smoke condition caused the evacuation of several residents from nearby structures, officials said.  The fire started by a buildup of lint in the dryer along with the heat of the machine, officials said.

HOUSTON, TX - A clothes-dryer is being blamed for starting an overnight house fire in northwest Harris County.  It happened just after midnight at a house on Legend Cove Court at Forest Heights.  Cy-Fair Volunteer Firefighters said damage was contained to the laundry room and kitchen, and everyone made it out safely.

WORCESTER, MA - A fire that started in a clothes dryer Monday evening damaged a house at 17 Elbridge St. and displaced WPI students.  Fire Capt. John Silk said it appears the fire started in a dryer on the first floor, and flames extended up the two-story house through the exterior wall.   The house was home to several Worcester Polytechnic Institute students.  Although the fire didn't reach the second floor, power to the entire building had to be cut, and Capt. Silk said the students would not be allowed back in for at least the night.

FREMONT, NE - Lint buildup in a dryer vent caused a fire in a Fremont home Saturday morning.  The Fremont Fire Department responded to the alarm at about 7:45 a.m.  Capt. Jamie Meyer said firefighters had to remove some drywall to reach the smoldering dryer lint.  Damage was estimated at about $5,500.

BALD MOUNTAIN, NC - A Yancey County home bursts into flame and a mother and her child narrowly escape a collapsing building.  Valena Geraci was watching a movie with her 4-year-old when she felt something was wrong in the house.  When she checked the washroom on the porch, she found thick black smoke and flames spreading from the dryer into the house.  She had only seconds to run back inside and grab her daughter and run through falling debris.  She got out safely and called for help, but the house was a total loss.  Fire Marshal Neil McCurry says a flexible plastic dryer vent pipe is to blame for the destruction.  Those pipes can be crimped, overheating the plastic and catching on fire.

MALDEN, IL - The Malden, Ladd, Seatonville, Princeton, and Spring Valley fire departments responded to a house fire just southeast of Malden late Wednesday morning.  What started out as a small dryer fire quickly escalated and turned into an actual house fire.  Malden fire chief Travis Rossler explained the firefighters could only save about a quarter of the house, but thankfully the family was able to evacuate and no injuries were reported, however they lost most everything in the house.

DONNELSVILLE, OH - Fire fighters from several jurisdictions were on scene at a fire that shut down a major route through Clark County.  Crews from Bethel, Mad River and Pike Townships along with the New Carlisle Fire Department were dispatched to the 100 block of East Main Street on reports of a house fire.  Neighbors reportedly saw smoke pouring from the house and called 911.  The blaze started when a dryer was left on in the laundry room, crews were able to contain it to a small part of the structure.

UNION CITY, NJ - A one-alarm fire at a Union City house was quickly extinguished Saturday evening, fire authorities said.  North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue responded to a call about smoke coming out of a third floor window at the house at 215 Roosevelt St.  In the 3 story home, officials said the fire started in a clothes dryer.  An occupant was treated for minor injuries.

CLARION TOWNSHIP, PA - A dryer catches fire sending the whole house up in flames in Clarion Township.  The family is thankful to be alive but their home is a total loss.  Fire crews say it started when the family was drying clothes and the dryer caught fire spreading throughout the entire home.  The parents were not home at the time but the three children living inside made it out okay.

WARFIELD, BRACKNELL FOREST, UK - A man and a woman have been given first aid by fire crews after a tumble dryer went up in flames.  Fire teams were called to the tumble dryer fire in the mobile home site.  The 52-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman were treated for smoke inhalation and were given oxygen.  Nicole Targett, of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Tumble dryer fires are very common. "The lint is very flammable and they get up to high temperatures."

KINGSTON, NY - Kingston firefighters battled a dryer fire Sunday morning.  Crews arrived and found one room in the rear of the house on fire.  One person was in the home and made it out safely and firefighters were able to rescue a cat from the second floor.  The fire damaged the washer and dryer room and caused smoke damage throughout the house.  One firefighter suffered a minor injury.

BOYERTOWN, PA - Emergency crews responded to a fire that went to three alarms in a residence at Mountain Road in Earl Township shortly before noon.  Officials said the fire was mainly contained to the basement but that the rest of the home sustained significant smoke damage.  A couple resided in the home with seven dogs.  All got out of the home safely.  The couple were sent to an area hospital for evaluation following the fire.  The fire began in a basement dryer, and the couple tried unsuccessfully to put it out, officials said.

KENNEBUNK, ME - A fire that started in a clothes dryer damaged a Kennebunk home and shuttered a daycare center just days before the new school year begins.  Lori Lessard has operated the day care business from her home at 24 Intervale Road for the past 10 years.  She had about a dozen clients, many of them children of local teachers.  Kennebunk Fire Chief Stephen Nichols said a neighbor reported seeing black smoke billowing from a window at the house just before noon.  "I can tell you it started in the dryer," he said. The ranch-style house sustained "extensive" smoke and water damage, Nichols said.

SAVANNAH, GA - Two Savannah girls remained hospitalized in critical condition Monday a day after being pulled from their burning Kensington Park home by firefighters.  The girls, ages 6 and 13, were rescued by firefighters just after the one-story brick house erupted in flames.  The fast-moving flames consuming the entire rear of the house created difficult conditions in which to find the children, who were located in a front bedroom and removed from the home through a side window, Keller said.  Savannah Fire investigators say the blaze originated in the clothes dryer. The flames extended up a wall and into the attic which enabled the fire to quickly engulf a large section of the house, Keller said.

FARGO, ND - Fire officials remind homeowners clean their clothes dryer lint traps after a laundry room fire here Monday afternoon.  Fire crews were called to an apartment building for a report of smoke coming from the first-floor laundry room.  Crews found a fire behind the dryer in the laundry room.  The fire caused moderate smoke damage in the first floor halls.

SAN MATEO, CA - Firefighters in San Mateo were able to douse a three-alarm blaze of a structure early Monday morning, San Mateo County fire officials said.  Crews responded to a report of a fire in the 2200 block of Bridgepointe Parkway.  The fire escalated quickly to a second and third alarm, but crews were able to douse it after more than an hour, according to officials.  Seven to 10 residents of six apartments on three different floors were displaced by the overnight fire.  San Mateo Fire Battalion Chief Jim Scott said the fire started in an aluminum dryer vent.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ - Shortly before noon, Township of Washington and Hillsdale firefighters were dispatched to Woodfield Road after a dryer in the basement of a home caught fire.  Washington Township Detective Sgt. John Calamari said the fire, sparked by the dryer's lint, spread throughout the laundry room, but was successfully contained in just over 10 minutes.

SEVEN HILLS, NEW SOUTH WALES, AU - A spokeswoman said this after police were called to a fire caused by a clothes dryer in a house at Seven Hills.  She said there was minor damage to the property and all occupants in nearby houses were fine.  "Police would like to remind all users to regularly check their lint filters when using dryers and not to leave a dryer on when not at home," she said.

EUDORA, KS - A fire that destroyed a house in Eudora Sunday morning was caused by excess dryer lint that ignited, investigators said today.  No residents were at the house when the fire was reported at about by a passing motorist, said Eudora Fire Chief Ken Keiter.  Eudora firefighters fought the blaze for more than four hours, joined by crews from Baldwin City, Eudora Township, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical and Wakarusa Township, but the house was ruined.

SLEAFORD, UK - Crews from Sleaford, Billingborough and Billinghay attended a bungalow on fire on Russell Crescent, Sleaford.  Crews put out the fire believed to have started from a build up of lint in a tumble dryer.  Two casualties suffered from smoke inhalation.  The utility room and contents were badly damaged by fire, the adjoining kitchen was also affected by heat and smoke, as was the rest of the bungalow.

HOLLAND, MI - Twelve apartment units in Holland Township were evacuated Monday afternoon after a fire in a dryer vent in one of the units.  Holland Township Fire Department crews spent about 45 minutes on the scene at Timberwood Apartments after the call came in about 1:30 p.m.  No one was injured.

GARFIELD, NJ - A firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and an 80-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after a fire at a two-family home.  Fire Chief John Kopacz said engines responded to the fire around 11:30 a.m.  A dryer caught fire spreading to clothes and a small part of the basement.  When the fire department and EMS arrived an 80-year-old woman was taken to the hospital quickly.  On the scene, one firefighter needed to be checked by EMS because of the heat.  Kopacz said there was smoke damage throughout the house.  Kopacz said it looked like the cause of the fire was the lint from the dryer.

PORTLAND, OR - Firefighters are blaming dryer lint for a fire that caused $70,000 in damages to a Southeast Portland home and its contents.  According to Portland Fire & Rescue, the first responding units could see "a column of smoke" while they were en route.  The fire started in the dryer and spread through the walls into the kitchen area.  One of the occupants suffered a laceration to the foot while evacuating the home but was not transported to a hospital.  Portland Fire & Rescue would like to remind everyone to always clean your lint screen before every load.  White plastic vent hoses should be replaced with aluminum type vent hoses.  Vent hoses should be cleaned regularly from the wall behind the dryer to the outside flap.

ROCKFORD, IL - A Rockford family has to find a new place to stay after fire tears through their home.  Rockford Firefighters were called around 10:30.  Crews found a fire in the dryer.  They were able to keep most of the damage to the kitchen, but there is a lot of smoke damage throughout.  Damage is estimated to be around $20,000. No one was home, and no injuries were reported. Five children and an adult live there, and are getting help from the Red Cross.

LEXINGTON, KY - What started as a dryer fire inside a home overnight quickly spread, sending one person to the hospital.  There was heavy smoke and flames when crews arrived on the scene.  When neighbors saw the commotion and realized a third person was trapped inside, they ran to help, putting their own lives in danger to save others.  Firefighters tell us once they knocked the fire out, they found a small dog named "Little Bit," alive, under a couch and some insulation.  The man that was pulled from the fire was treated for smoke inhalation.

FALLS TOWNSHIP, PA - Firefighters responded to a dryer fire on Woolston Drive late Friday morning.  Fire Marshal Rich Dippolito said no one was injured.  The fire was caused by lint and contained to the dryer unit, which was destroyed, he said.  Dippolito added that the family cleaned the dryer's link trap every time they used the machine, but he believes the lint came from a backup in the vent.

Moorpark, CA - Seven units responded Wednesday to a fire in Moorpark, officials said.  The blaze turned out to be a clothes dryer that had caught on fire.  The dryer fire was soon put out, the Ventura County Fire Department said.

READING, UK - FIREFIGHTERS evacuated a house in Katesgrove after a tumble dryer caught fire this morning.  Two crews were sent to the semi-detached house after the alarm was raised.  Smoke was billowing from the kitchen at the rear of the house and firefighters turned off the electricity supply before using breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze.  Two people were evacuated but no-one was hurt.

CHATTANOOGA, TN - The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 5:40 a.m., and responded with several fire companies.  Battalion Chief Jeff Eldridge said the family of two adults and four children were safely out of the house when the first firefighters arrived.  The bulk of the fire was found in a laundry room and was quickly spreading to other rooms and the roof.  The dollar loss was estimated at around $25,000.  Chief Eldridge said the fire started in the clothes dryer.

HAZARD, KY - A home was nearly destroyed by a fire on Sunday.  The Avawam Fire Department answered the call around 2:30 in the afternoon.  The fire chief says most of the inside of the home was in flames when they arrived.  He says the woman living there heard a loud boom, and then saw that her clothes dryer had caught fire.  The chief says dryers can be very dangerous if not properly maintained.  "If you have a dryer I would suggest that people would clean them out every six months because if it gets a lot of lint in the filter or in and around the dryer it could cause a fire," said Chief Leonard Toler.

CENTERVILLE, OH - A dryer fire caused damage to a Centerville apartment complex early today.  Around 5:30 a.m., emergency crews responded to Fireside Drive in Centerville and reported heavy smoke was showing upon arrival.  The apartment building was evacuated for a short amount of time, and damage was contained to where the dyer was sitting.

WASHINGTON, IN - Firefighters have determined a clothes dryer is to blame for a fire in that destroyed a mobile home.  The owner and only resident of the home had left the clothes dryer running unattended while he went outside to mow grass.  When he noticed the smoke, he dialed 911.  The home suffered heavy damage.  Firefighters had the fire put out by 6:15 p.m. and on one was injured while battling the blaze.

CHAPPAQUA, NY - A fire Wednesday that heavily damaged a $2.2 million home accidentally started in a clothes dryer, authorities have determined.  Assistant Fire Chief Greg Bologna said Friday that it appeared the fire started in a laundry room on the second floor.  He said it's unclear whether the home can be salvaged.  A woman and two young children safely evacuated when smoke alarms alerted them to the fire.  Firefighters from more than a half-dozen departments battled the 1 p.m. blaze, which burned through the roof and consumed much of the 6,600-square-foot Colonial.

RIDGEWOOD, NJ - A clothes dryer caught fire in a second floor apartment on South Broad Street, leading authorities to evacuate residents living in adjacent buildings, police said.  There were no injuries reported in the blaze, which caused smoke and water damage to the apartment and the building, said Police Chief John Ward.  The resident of the unit had left the clothes dryer on, Ward said, and was not in the apartment when the fire broke out spewing smoke onto the balcony.

ST. HELENA, SC - A St. Helena Island home was destroyed late Sunday by a fire that began in a clothes dryer, displacing a family of four, according to the Lady's Island-St. Helena Fire District.  Firefighters arrived at the home on Edding White Road just after midnight, according to fire district spokesman Lee Levesque.  Flames and heavy smoke emitted from the back door, he said.  Two adults and two children escaped safely, Levesque said.

CORINTH, ME - A dryer is being blamed for a fire that damaged a house on Ledgehill Road.  Corinth Fire Chief Scott Bragdon said the couple who owns the home was not home when the fire broke out around 9:15 a.m.  "There was heavy fire at the rear of the building and smoke pushing through the roof," Bragdon said.  The clothes dryer was running while the couple was not home, according to Bragdon.  "It's never a good idea to run those when you're not home," he advised. "You've got heat and lint — it's a bad combination when you're not home."

BATAVIA, NY - A clothes dryer left on and unattended damaged a home on Woodrow Road in Batavia this morning.  Batavia Firemen raced out to the when a passerby noticed smoke streaming from a second floor window.  The only occupant was the family's pet dog.  Fire Department Captain Mark Mikolajczyk describes what happened: "Fire damage was mostly contained to the dryer and did not spready out into other rooms.  There was alot of smoke on the second and first floors.  We were able to rescue the dog. We picked him up and brought him outside."

CHARLTON, MA - Fire officials are reminding people to clean their dryer exhaust hoses on a regular basis after a three-alarm fire heavily damaged a North Main Street home Monday morning.  Authorities have linked the blaze to a clothes dryer.  Fire Capt. Ralph Harris Jr. said firefighters arriving around 11:30 a.m. found smoke and fire coming from the second floor of the two-family home.  Damage to the building is estimated at $60,000, according to fire officials.  The second floor will need total rehabilitation, and the first floor sustained extensive water damage.

WAHPETON, ND - The Wahpeton Fire Department responded to a house fire late Tuesday afternoon.  Fire Chief Derek Miller said the call came in shortly after 4 p.m. and the department was at the home about 45 minutes.  Miller said that the fire was believed to be a plugged dryer vent.  There was more damage from smoke than from the actual fire, according to Miller.  A part of the house's siding also had to be taken off as Miller said the dryer vent came out at the bottom of the floor and the department wanted to make sure it hadn't spread up the wall.

TACOMA, WA - Tacoma firefighters this morning knocked down a house fire that started in the dryer, the department said.  The fire was reported about 9:45 a.m. in the 2100 block of E. George Street.  Crews found that flames had spread throughout the laundry room.

JACKSON, MI - A family displaced by a dryer fire is still seeking a long-term living situation while the home is restored to liveable conditions.  The fire was confined to the basement, with some smoke damage upstairs.  The fire caused about $50,000 in damage. It's not clear when the family can return home.

COLUMBIA, SC - A dryer fire in the basement of the S.C. Governor's Mansion forced Gov. Nikki Haley and her two children to evacuate Friday morning.  A S.C. Bureau of Protective Services officer patrolling the grounds noticed smoke coming from a basement window and called 911, the governor's office said.  The officer evacuated the governor, her children and mansion staff to a nearby building.  Columbia firefighters responded and cleared the smoke that came from rags or towels overheating in a dryer, Columbia Fire Department spokesman Brick Lewis said.

PLATTSBURGH, NY - An afternoon fire damaged a mobile home Thursday.  South Plattsburgh Fire Department Assistant Chief Eric Day said firefighters were called to the home around 2:14 p.m.  Firefighters were able to squelch the fire, which had been burning at the back of the dryer and in the wall behind the dryer.  Day said the home sustained some damage to the wall and some water damage.  The tenants did not have insurance, Day said.  Day said it appears that the fire was started because the dryer vent was not cleaned well enough.  "We've had about half a dozen fires in the past year because of unclean dryer vents and it is preventable," Day said.

BRATTLEBORO, NH - A dryer is to blame for a two-alarm fire that damaged a family home Thursday night, fire officials said.  Fire crews were called to Quails Hill Road for smoke coming out of the back of a 2½-story home, Brattleboro Fire Chief D. Michael Bucossi said.  The fire extended from the dryer, which is in the basement, into a wall and then spread across the basement ceiling, causing moderate damage, Bucossi said.  The fire also caused significant damage to electrical wires and plumbing in the house, which made it uninhabitable, he said.

LACONIA, NH - A dryer fire in an apartment on Blueberry Lane sent two families into the street and brought firefighters from Laconia and Gilford to extinguish it.  Deputy Fire Chief Deb Pendergast said the fire appeared to be confined to the basement of an end unit.  She said there was some extension into the wall and firefighters were working yesterday afternoon to ensure the fire was completely out.  She said firefighters were also ventilating the effected apartment and the one next to it.

VACAVILLE, CA - A fire that started in a dryer was contained before it could spread to other parts of the house.  The residents of a house on North Orchard Avenue noticed smoke in a laundry room around 2 p.m.  Firefighters arrived and the fire had spread in the laundry room, said Battalion Chief Brian Moore.  Moore said crews were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to the walls.  He said residents should be mindful of lint in the trap when running the dryer.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ - A Pullman Loop family was displaced and their pet cat was killed after a fire on Sunday morning.  The South Brunswick Police Department and the Monmouth Junction Fire Department responded to the residence for a report of a dryer fire.  Emergency personnel were met with heavy smoke conditions throughout the residence and found all occupants waiting outside.  The basement suffered extensive smoke and fire damage, with the first and second floors suffering smoke damage, according to police Detective Sgt. James Ryan.

ROSEBURG, OR - A dryer left running when the resident left the premises caused damage to a garage Saturday morning.  A neighbor, Yuri Vincent, saw smoke coming from a duplex.  He grabbed a hose and attempted to put out the fire before firefighters with the Roseburg Fire Department arrived.  The department was conducting drills nearby in downtown Roseburg and was able to quickly send trucks to the scene, Fire Marshal Tony DiMare said.  Damage totaled about $2,000, DiMare said.

COVINGTON, KY - Several adults and children have been displaced after a fire ravaged a Covington home.  Covington fire department was notified of the fire around 2:00 p.m.  Fire department officials say that the fire started in a dryer and went all the way up to the home's second floor.  Damage has been estimated at $50,000 for the home and $30,000 for the contents.

AGENCY, IA - A house fire caused quite the commotion on Main St.  It was around 10:30 a.m. Friday when the Agency Fire Department arrived on the scene to home on Main St.  Paramedics and the Wapello County Sheriff's Office were also on the scene.  Smoke could be seen billowing out the back door of the house.  KTVO spoke to Agency Fire Chief Mile Holcomb who said the cause of the fire was due to a clothes dryer catching on fire.

SPRING VALLEY LAKE, CA - A dryer fire destroyed a Spring Valley Lake garage, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Fire Department.  Seven fire units, including one unit from Hesperia, responded to a blaze at 10:22 p.m., according to the release.  Upon arrival fire crews found heavy fire coming from the garage door area.  The residents had just started their dryer in the garage, and reported the fire a few minutes later, according to the release.  No one was injured, but the garage was destroyed and the home suffered extensive smoke damage.

PARK RIDGE, IL - A Park Ridge firefighter suffered a "minor lower leg injury" when he fell while responding to a dryer fire, Park Ridge authorities said.  The firefighter twisted his ankle on April 16 falling on an "uneven surface" outside a two-story home, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen.  Firefighters responded to the home and found the fire in a dryer in rear utility room of the home, Sorensen said.  Firefighters removed the dryer and some ceiling drywall above the dryer to check for fire extension, Sorensen said.  The house sustained smoke damage throughout, and authorities estimate the total damage at $10,000.

LINCOLN, NE - Lincoln Fire and Rescue crews were called to a fire near 84th and O Street.  Crews were dispatched for a working dryer fire in the basement.  LFR said when crews arrived, firefighters saw a lot of smoke.  Investigators said they believe the dryer caused the fire.

FLORENCE, KY - A dryer is being blamed for a large fire that damaged several townhouses in Florence.  The two-alarm fire started at the town homes on Curtis Way.  Investigators said the dryer caught fire, spreading flames up a vent to the roof and attic.  Two of the town homes were damaged by fire and another four have water damage.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, PA - Firefighters said a clothes dryer started a fire on Monday in Jefferson County.  The fire started around 4 p.m. Monday at a mobile home in Punxsutawney.  The fire was out in minutes but the home was destroyed.  Punxsutawney Fire Chief Bryan Smith said a man and woman lived in the home.  The woman was inside when the fire broke out and was transported to a hospital to be checked.  Officials said she is expected to be OK.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Colorado Springs Fire Department crews quickly responded to a dryer that caught on fire.  Sunny Smaldino, CSFD spokesperson, said the call came in around 8 a.m.  Fire trucks blocked the right lane of North Murray at Palmer Park Boulevard for about 20 minutes, then two fire crews stayed behind at the Five Fountains Condominiums, Smaldino said.  Smaldino said it's important for people to remember to keep lint traps and vents clean and free of obstructions, especially in small areas like apartments.

KNOXVILLE, TN - A clothes dryer is being blamed for a fire at an apartment complex near West High School.  Residents at Sutherland Park Apartments called E-911 when they smelled the odor of smoke, according to Knoxville Fire Department spokesman Capt. D. J. Corcoran.  Firefighters found a burning dryer that had activated smoke alarms and the sprinkler system, Corcoran said.  "Firefighters quickly extinguished the remaining flames and began ventilation of the thick smoke from the living area," Corcoran said.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ - Residents of a home used fire extinguishers and garden hoses to keep a dryer fire at bay until Washington Township firefighters arrived.  Volunteer firefighter Michael Cuccaro and Patrol Officer Kirk Griffin were the first to arrive at the scene. They found the dryer fully engulfed in flames and heavy smoke throughout the house.  Prior to the arrival of firefighters, the flames had spread to the laundry room walls as well as reaching outside debris through the dryer vent hose.

CARBONDALE, PA - A city building was evacuated Friday after a dryer fire.  Carbondale Fire Chief Tom Brennan said 23 or 24 residents at Salem View Manor, a retirement and assisted living community, were moved to the nearby fire station on John Street.  He believed the staff would be able to clean the building up enough for the residents to return Friday.  Fire damage was mostly confined to the laundry room, the chief said.

COLUMBIA, MO - A fire that started in a clothes dryer caused $35,000 in damage to a home.  The Columbia Fire Department was dispatched for a report of a fire, Columbia fire Capt. John Metz said in a news release.  The 911 caller reported the fire was in the clothes dryer.  When crews arrived, they found smoke coming from the front door of the home, Metz said.  Firefighters found fire coming from the downstairs laundry room.  Crews controlled the fire in about five minutes, Metz said.  The laundry room and the kitchen sustained fire damage, and the remainder of the home sustained moderate smoke damage, Metz said.  The home is uninhabitable until repairs are made.  Lt. Brian Davison, Columbia assistant fire marshal, determined that the dryer overheated.

LAS VEGAS, NV - Two residents in a senior living apartment complex suffered smoke inhalation Thursday after a dryer caught fire, Clark County Fire officials said.  Firefighters were dispatched about 3:25 p.m. to a dryer fire Harrison Drive.  Firefighters arrived to a thick cloud of black smoke in the hallway coming from the laundry room.  The fire did cause smoke damage to the apartment complex, officials said.  Two residents were treated for smoke inhalation.

LINCOLN, NE - Residents of a halfway house have to find a place to stay, at least for a few days, after a fire at their home in northeast Lincoln.  A dryer fire at a Houses of Hope home forced its residents out Saturday night.  The fire was contained to the dryer, and most of the damage was caused by smoke and the water Lincoln firefighters used to extinguish the flames, city fire investigator Don Gross said.

COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP, PA - One person was injured in a house fire that broke out just after 5 p.m in a home on Sheridan Drive.  A fireman was treated after a chunk from the ceiling fell on him.  The home sustained damage after a dryer fire that was fed by a propane tank.  A four-person family will need to find other living arrangements until the damage to the home is repaired, according to Coolbuagh assistant chief Paul Denico.

GARDNER, MA - A child was treated at Heywood Hospital as a precaution after a smoky dryer fire.  Fire Lt. Cleo Caouette said the child suffers from asthma and was taken to the hospital because of exposure to the heavy smoke.  Firefighters found smoke pouring out of the basement and first floor of the house when they arrived.  Lt. Caouette said firefighters found a dryer fire in the basement.  He said the dryer overheated; and ignited clothing and lint that were on the floor nearby.  The house sustained heavy smoke damage and a very light amount of structural damage in the basement.

RED WING ,MN - No one was injured Thursday evening in Red Wing after a dryer caught fire and forced the occupants to evacuate their home.  The Red Wing Fire Department responded to Plum Street after the structure was reported to be filled with smoke.  Compressed airfoam was used before making an interior attack of the lowest level.  Upon entering the basement, a natural gas dryer was discovered to be engulfed in flames, according to a press release from the fire department.  Fire fighters were on the scene for about an hour.

TORRINGTON, CT - Firefighters responded to a Prospect Street home on Tuesday after a dryer fire spread to the wood floor.  Fire Capt. David Starr said a neighbor called in the fire.  Lint in a dryer caught fire after excessive heat built up and it couldn't escape, Starr said.  Starr said the fire spread to a wooden floor under the dryer and over the cement floor.

CLOVER, SC - A clothes dryer caught on fire at Clover High School Wednesday night and billowed smoke throughout the building.  Crews with the Clover Fire Department and Bethel Volunteer Fire Department were called to the school to find flames coming from the laundry room dryer, said Clover Fire Chief Charlie Love.  A few employees were still inside the building and were evacuated, Love said.  Firefighters got the flames under control pretty quickly, Love said, but spent a significant amount of time trying to ventilate the building because of heavy smoke damage.

FERRYSBURG, MI - Lint build up caught on fire early this morning.  Firefighters responded at about 1:20 a.m. to the duplex, said Fire Chief Mike Olthof.  The fire also melted some wires, but was out when firefighters arrived.  Olthoff said the exhaust vent was so packed with lint, that no more lint could get out of the dryer.  "They were lucky," Olthof said. "The basement was pretty full and the potential was there for a fire if they kept running the machine." Olthof said it's important to clean lint out of the exhaust vent in back of the dryer once in a while too.

LAURELDALE, PA - A clogged dryer vent caused a fire in a home in the 3300 block of Raymond Street in Laureldale.  No one was injured in the fire, Laureldale Fire Chief David L. Feltenberger said.  Emergency workers helped one man escape the home.  Feltenberger estimated the damage at $100,000.

LAKE WORTH, FL - Palm Beach County Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a residential structure fire in Lake Worth this morning at 10:23am, according to Captain Albert Borroto.  Fire crews were able to determine that a clothes dryer was the source of the fire in the garage.  They contained the fire to the single garage and removed the dryer.  One occupant of the home suffered minor injuries and was treated on the scene.

STILLWATER, OK - Stillwater Fire Marshal Trent Hawkins relayed information from Deputy Fire Marshal Neal Moore who responded to the incident.  "The fire actually started in a clothes dryer in the house," Hawkins said.  Three stations responded to the fire.  Moore said the fire damaged approximately 45 to 50 thousand dollars structurally to the home and in content.  The fire did not spread beyond the utility room, he said.  "The rest of the house sustained heavy heat and smoke damage," Moore said.

HENDERSON, KY - A Henderson resident is displaced from their home after a fire Thursday afternoon.  Fire officials say the fire started in a dryer inside the home and that clothes inside the dryer provided fuel for the fire.  Firefighters were able to quickly get on scene and were able to contain fire to area of the dryer.  Fire officials say the resident will likely be displace from the home while it is cleaned up.

COON RAPIDS, MN - Residents of a Coon Rapids home were evacuated Monday when the dryer caught on fire in the laundry room.  A Coon Rapids Police officer, first on the scene, reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the dryer.  According to the Coon Rapids Fire Department run report, the house was filling up with smoke on arrival and the fire crew encountered a moderate smoke condition in the basement laundry room where flames were on and around the dryer.  Following a quick knock down, hydraulic ventilation and fans were used to remove the smoke from the rest of the house and the dryer was taken outside.  The dryer pipe and exterior vent were also removed.  Property and contents damage was estimated at $10,000.

WAYNESBORO, PA - Waynesboro and Mont Alto firefighters were able to contain a dryer fire that broke out just after 8 this morning.  Waynesboro Fire Chief Dave Martin said there were no problems extinguishing the blaze, and two adults, a child and a dog were able to get out of the home safely.  Firefighters were checking for hot spots and ventilating the three-story home around 8:15 a.m.  A woman who lives in the home said she had just turned the dryer on and saw smoke coming from the dryer.  Martin advised people to stay home while their dryers are running, and to always make sure the lint is cleaned out of them.

NORA SPRINGS, IA - A fire in a clothes dryer at a rural Nora Springs residence was contained to the dryer, Nora Springs Fire Chief Dean Koch reported.  The fire was reported at 11:52 a.m., a dispatcher for the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Department said.  "There was some smoke damage in the house," Koch said.  The ranch-style house is located northwest of Nora Springs.  The Fire Department remained at the scene for about an hour, Koch said.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - Officials say a dryer sparked a fire at Lincoln Military Housing apartment complex Monday evening.  According to Ray Smith with the Virginia Beach Police Department, crews responded to the Banyan Cove section of the complex at approximately 5 p.m.  Crews saved a dog from the apartment and no injuries were reported.

ROCHESTER, MN - A dryer fire Saturday afternoon caused $10,000 in damage to a southeast Rochester home, officials said.  According to the Rochester Fire Department, firefighters were called at about 6:15 p.m. for a fire in the basement and smoke reported throughout the house.  They extinguished the fire then ventilated the house and removed the destroyed dryer.

CENTRALIA, WA - A fire that originated from a dryer displaced six people Monday afternoon, according to the Riverside Fire Authority.  When firefighters arrived on the 2600 block of Cooks Hill Road in Centralia, they saw a large amount of smoke from both the front and back of one of the apartment units, according to an RFA press release.  Fire crews were able to contain the fire to the dryer unit and a small part of the wall.

LYONS, AUSTRALIA - A family was left devastated after their home in Lyons was ruined by fire on Monday night.  The fire began in the drying machine of the Devonport Street home before 7.20pm.  The fire spread through the laundry, but firefighters quickly arrived on scene, and prevented the flames from reaching other areas of the house.  There were no injuries, but most of the one-storey house was ruined by smoke and heat.  Firefighters say it is now too damaged to live in.

MARYVILLE, TN - A Maryville residence was spared major damage after a dryer caught fire Tuesday afternoon.  Blount County firefighters were dispatched to Old Niles Ferry Road, with five trucks and 10 firefighters starting to arrive at 2:42 p.m.  The fire, which was contained to the dryer, was controlled five minutes after they arrived.  The dryer and several articles of clothing were destroyed in the blaze and there was smoke damage reported in the laundry room, firefighters said.

NORTH EAST, MD - A build up of dryer lint is the cause of a fire that left a North East area family homeless fire investigators said Friday.  The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal reported a passerby discovered the 3 p.m. fire at Inverness Drive.  Deputy Fire Marshals Derek Chapman and Howard Ewing determined the fire began in the utility room and spread quickly through the 14-by-70 mobile home in the Lakeside community.  The loss of the home is estimated at $20,000.

ANN ARBOR, MI - A fire destroyed a dryer and damaged the ceiling of an Ann Arbor home before firefighters could extinguish it.  Ann Arbor firefighters responded to the 300 block of Mark Hannah Placeafter receiving a call about smoke coming out of the side door of the single-family home, Battalion Chief Kevin Cook said.  The blaze was contained to the basement.  "There was a dryer on fire, as well as the ceiling above it," Cook said.  The dryer was destroyed and the basement suffered water damage.  The floors above had smoke damage, Cook said.

EAST ROCHESTER, NY - A mother and her daughter were displaced temporarily after a fire started in their East Rochester home on Wednesday.  The fire started at a home on Pomander Walk around 11 p.m., according to ER fire chief Steve Williams.  He said the blaze started when a dryer caught fire in the home.  Fire crews contained the blaze, which caused smoke damage to interior.

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA - A Bristol Township family's home will be uninhabitable briefly after a dryer fire Tuesday night, township Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito said.  Firefighters were called to Black Walnut Road at 9:30 p.m. Dippolito said firefighters did an excellent job of containing the fire to the one-story home's laundry area.  The fire marshal said the fire was caused by a lint buildup in the dryer.

RACINE, WI - An early morning dryer fire forced a family of five to evacuate their home on Monday and resulted in an estimated $1,000 in damage.  The Racine Fire Department was called just past midnight on Sunday to the home on the 2300 block of Carmel Avenue for the accidental dryer fire, according to a fire department press release.

HAMPTON, VA - A fire that started in a clothes dryer heavily damaged a home Monday afternoon.  Fire units were called to the 800 block of Hedrow Terrace. The fire started in the dryer and then spread to the attic.  A family of 5 was displaced and is being cared for by the Red Cross.  Firefighters estimate there was about $45,000 to $50,000 worth of damage done to the house.

BETHEL, CT - Smoke Detectors have once again been credited with alerting the occupants of a fire in their basement yesterday afternoon.  The Bethel & Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Departments responded and quickly extinguished the clothes dryer that was on fire.  There was some minor water and smoke damage to the home.  Major appliances should not be operated when not at home such as dryers, washing machines, or dishwashers.  Proper installation and upkeep of the appliances is important as well.

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, OH - An evening fire in Harrison Township forced residents of an apartment building out into the cold Thursday.  Crews rushed to the 500 block of Daytona Parkway.  Firefighters say they quickly put out the flames, but still had to deal with the wintry conditions.  "The main problem tonight here is the ice on the ground. You just had to be very careful with your footing," said Chief Mark Lynch, Harrison Twp. Fire Department  The chief tells us the fire started in a basement dryer.