Dryer Fire Articles (2014)

NEWPORT NEWS, VA - A house fire Saturday morning has been ruled accidental by the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.  The fire started in the dryer receptacle igniting some of the clothes in the dryer, according to a statement from Battalion Chief Jeffrey Pereira.  The fire was contained the the utility room, which sustained moderate smoke damage.  Flames vented out the room's window damaging the soffit above it, the statement said.

WILKES-BARRE, PA - A dryer fire displaced a family of six.  The Wilkes-Barre Fire Department responded to a call at North Grant Street around 10 p.m.  Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat said the fire started in a clothes dryer in the basement of the residence.  "It did damage the gas line, so service had to be shut off," Klapat said.  The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes.

CRESTVIEW, FL - Firefighters battled a blase Monday morning that appeared to have been caused by clothes catching fire in the dryer.  Lint in the exhaust system contributed to the fire.  The fire caused about $35,000 in damage to the home and another $15,000 in damage to the contents of the home.

HOOKERTON, NC - Firefighters evacuate 10 people from a group home after a fire erupts inside the laundry room.  Since the home is right next door to the fire department, firemen responded right away.  The fire caused by a dryer was put out within 5 minutes.  Hookerton Fire Chief Shaun Jackson says there is fire damage to the laundry room and smoke damage throughout.

KNIGHTDALE, NC - Two adults and four children under 10 were displaced from their home after a fire started in a dryer, authorities said.  Investigators said a man inside discovered the fire, evacuated his family from the home and then went back inside to get baby formula.  The man was taken to WakeMed for the treatment of smoke inhalation.  Four children between the age of 6 weeks and 10 years old were treated at the scene.  The home was heavily damaged by smoke.

ELGIN, IL - A fire that started in a dryer vent sent three people to the hospital, authorities said.  Three others were treated at the scene after the blaze in the laundry room of a first-floor unit of a senior housing complex, Elgin Fire Department Battalion Chief Terry Bruce said.  The residents of the unit include maintenance workers employed by the HAE, Bruce said.  One of them started the dryer Friday morning and left the apartment, he said.  The fire started because lint had backed up inside the dryer vent, which was pinched by boxes in the shelving unit, Bruce said.  "They removed lint from the trap but did not check the flexible vent," he said.  Damage was estimated at $15,000, according to the Elgin Fire Department, and the apartment where the fire started was left uninhabitable.

ENID, OK - A Sunday afternoon fire that sent two people to a hospital with injuries appears to have originated at a clothes dryer, according to an Enid Fire Department report.  Firefighters found a fully involved residence shortly after being dispatched.  There reportedly were two occupants at the home and both were transported to a local hospital, Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Moss said.  He said both reportedly escaped out of a high bedroom window and had injuries from the escape and from smoke inhalation.  A couple of pets were lost in the fire, Moss said.  The fire caused an estimated $15,000 in damage to the property and an estimated $10,000 in damage to contents, according to the report.  Moss said the fire originated at the clothes dryer and could have been caused by a buildup of lint in the dryer.

WESTLAND, MI - A dryer has been found to be the cause of a fire that damaged a home on Barchester in Westland.  The fire was reported about 9 p.m. in the basement of the home where a load of clothes was in the dryer, said Wayne-Westland Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Kelly Eggers.  Damage to the home was estimated at $45,000 with $40,000 estimated damage to the contents.  "Everyone is okay. But this is an important reminder to clean your lint traps and dryer vents often," said Eggers.

SAN PABLO, CA - Fire crews on Wednesday rescued an elderly man from a burning two-bedroom house, a Contra Costa Fire District spokeswoman said.  That man and another were hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a dryer fire began in the home, spokeswoman Inspector Lisa Martinez said.  A man in his 70s was in a bedroom and trapped when the fire began, but crews were able to go through a side window and pull him to safety, Martinez said.  Another man in his 40s, who tried to rescue his elderly roommate, also was hospitalized.  The 820-square-foot home was damaged severely, and the two men were displaced, Martinez said.  Inspectors estimated the damage at $50,000 to $75,000.  Investigators said the fire began in a dryer, and Martinez said the blaze is a reminder to clean the lint tray before doing a load.  She added that dryer vents should be checked often, and that if loads aren't drying with one cycle, it could be an indication the vent may need to be cleaned.

ITHACA, NY - A dryer started a fire in a South Hill basement on Sunday afternoon, wafting heavy smoke through the home, according to the Ithaca Fire Department.  Firefighters evacuated the home to combat the heavy smoke in the home and fire in the dryer located in the basement.  Crews remained on the scene for about two hours ventilating the structure and monitoring for carbon monoxide, according to fire officials.

JORDAN, NY - A fire caused by a dryer left running, heavily damaged a house and displaced a family of four people.  Firefighters from Jordan responded to the scene as well as crews from Weedsport, Elbridge, Mottville and Baldwinsville.  Jordan Fire Chief Douglas Milton said crews knocked the fire down in about 20 minutes, but spent an hour and a half overhauling the structure.  The fire was caused by an electric dryer that was left running, he said.   A downstairs room and the upstairs of the house suffered heavy damage.

ALTON, IL - Flames from a dryer fire followed ductwork through the basement of a house and traveled up into first-floor rooms, burning flooring near heat registers.  The family of four who live in the house escaped injury.  Alton firefighters brought out two dogs and a pet frog and lizard to safety, uninjured, said Battalion Chief David Eichen of the Alton Fire Department.  "I was concerned about the ducts," Eichen said, of the flames' unusual path of travel along the metal ductwork and through the basement.  "The fire got up into the ceiling of the basement and ran along the floor joists.  "We had to open the floor, open the walls and open the ceiling," to search for flames, Eichen said.

OLYMPIA, WA - No one was injured in a fire started by a dryer in an Olympia home Wesnesday morning, according to the Olympia Fire Department.  Firefighters responded to the home after a person caring for the home reported that a dryer had caught fire.  The caretaker was able to evacuate, removing several animals, too.  Four engines, one ladder truck, two medic units and a command unit all responded to the fire.  Damage was limited to the laundry room and estimated at $20,000.

PERRY, NY - A clothes dryer was blamed for a fire which destroyed a house trailer.  Six employees living in the trailer lost all their belongings.  Firefighters were at the scene for three-and-a-half hours.  Losses were estimated at $25,000.

AFTON, VA - A Nelson County couple lost their more than 200-year-old home on Sunday after a fire broke out, originating from a dryer in the laundry room.  Several Nelson County fire departments responded to the call from Lobbans Lane in Afton when a neighbor saw flames coming from outside the windows of the two-story home.  No one was injured in the fire, said assistant chief of Rockfish Fire David Graves.  Officials believe the fire was caused by the dryer in the laundry room.   The house was fully involved when we got there," Graves said of the Rockfish department, which was just about a mile away.  All of the contents from inside the home were lost, and 95 percent of the structure also was lost, Graves said.

HILTON HEAD, SC - A dryer caught fire late Sunday and destroyed a Hilton Head Island home, according to authorities.  Joheida Fister, spokeswoman for the Town of Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue Division, said the department responded just before 9 p.m. to find the single-story home 80 to 90 percent on fire.  The fire was under control by 9:14 p.m., Fister said.  The fire also damaged two cars outside the home.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ - A family of six and their pet dog were displaced after a dryer erupted in flames inside of their laundry room.  The damages from the fire was contained, but there is extensive water and soot damage to the rest of the house, according to the American Red Cross South Jersey Region.  The Red Cross provided assistance by placing them at a nearby hotel temporarily.

BURLINGTON, ONTARIO - One person was taken to Joseph Brant Hospital with smoke inhalation as a result of a basement fire.  Burlington fire, along with Halton Regional Police and Halton EMS, responded to the townhouse unit located on Upper Middle, east of Brant Street, for a report of a dryer fire in the basement.  On arrival, crews found black smoke pouring from the basement of the unit.  Fire crews quickly attacked the fire, limiting damage to the basement.  However, smoke and water damage from a burst pipe caused additional damage to neighbouring units.  The suspected cause of the fire is the lint trap for the dryer.  Damage estimate is pegged at $90,000.

BURTON, STAFFORDSHIRE, UK - Homeowners are being warned about the dangers of tumble dryers after a fire caused smoke damage at a house in Burton.  Investigators found the fire was caused by bits of fluff which were set alight after clogging the tumble dryer's extractor pipe.  Two fires in Tamworth in the last few days also started in a similar way.  Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service watch manager Richard Walsh said: "Check your tumble dryer thoroughly before using it and remove any bits of fluff in the drum or filter."

MONSEY, NY - Fire in a multiple family building damaged a basement apartment.  Firefighters were called to Cedar Lane in Monsey.  The fire was mostly restricted to the lower apartment; however, there was smoke and water damage to other parts of the building.  Ramapo Police said the fire was caused by a clogged lint vent in the clothes dryer.  Chaverim Volunteer Services aided the displaced family.

JACKSON, TN - A clothes dryer is to blame for a fire at a Jackson home on Briarwood Lane, according to the Jackson Fire Department.  Jackson Fire Chief Max Stewart said this fire can serve as a reminder for people to clean out the vent hose behind their dryer at least once every three months to prevent these types of fires from spreading.  Stewart also said if someone had not been home at the time, the outcome could have been much worse.

MILTON, DE - Investigators determined that lint in a clothes dryer started a house fire southeast of Milton, state fire officials said Monday.  The fire was reported shortly before 9 a.m. Sunday in a single-story home in the Overbrook Shores development, said Harry R. Miller, chief deputy state fire marshal.  Damage was estimated at $20,000.

NEW HAVEN, CT - A dryer fire in the basement of an apartment building in the eastern part of the city sent smoke billowing out of its roof and walls, but all of the people inside were able to get out safely.  Firefighters put out the flames.  But crews were expected to be on scene for at least an hour more checking soot and smoke damage and making sure the fire wouldn't flare up again.  It was not clear when the apartment building's occupants would be able to go back inside.

ALBANY, GA - A clothes dryer caught fire as it was in use this morning about 10:00 at a house on Joel Drive, off St. Andrews.  AFD officers pulled the machine outside, and sprayed it with water to extinguish the fire.  "It was easier to just take the dryer outside and extinguish it with a garden hose rather than try to pull a line in.  There is no structural damage to the house,  said Battalion Chief Kelly Harcrow.

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO CANADA - A dryer fire caused plenty of excitement early Wednesday night.  On arrival, Peterborough firefighters found light smoke coming from the unit's front door.  On going downstairs, firefighters found heavier smoke and discovered the source of the fire was a dryer.  Working smoke detectors alerted all occupants to the fire and all escaped but one person was treated on-scene for smoke inhalation.  Total damage to the dryer and smoke damage totals $1,500.

TOPEKA, KS - A Topeka police officer is credited with keeping a house fire from getting any worse than it was.  Fire officials say a gas dryer caught fire at the house around 1:00 p.m.  The homeowner called for help and before fire crews arrived, Officer John Soden got there.  He brought in a fire extinguisher and got the fire out before it spread.  Only the washer and dryer were damaged and fire crews quickly cleared the smoke from the home.

KAUKAUNA, WI - A dryer caused a house fire in Kaukauna on Wednesday.  At about 8:40 p.m., the Kaukauna Fire Department was called to Augustine St. for smoke coming from a dryer in the basement, the fire department said.  Firefighters found heavy smoke in the house and were able to put the fire out in about 15 minutes.  The fire department says the incident caused about $10,000 in damage to the home with water and fire damage in the basement and smoke damage throughout the house. 

CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - Firefighters from six agencies responded to a second-alarm fire after a fire broke out in a dryer vent.  Fire Chief Doug Charbonneau said the fire was due to a malfunction in a dryer vent in one of the units, which crept into the walls and attic.  "The first crew that arrived was able to knock down the fire, but we are now tracking hot spots that have flared up," he said.  Firefighters safely evacuated all 12 units.  Due to smoke and water damage, the tenant who resides in the unit where the fire broke out was going to have shelter provided by the American Red Cross.

PADGATE, UK - Firefighters put out a fire caused by a tumble dryer.  Crews were called to St Mawgan Court at 9.10pm and used a hose reel to put out the flames.  Police were called to deal with traffic but no one was hurt.  Head of Prevention and Protection Keith Brooks said: "With people likely to start using their tumble dryers more as we move into autumn, it is important that they follow some basic but vital safety advice to reduce the risk of fire.  "Simple steps include ensuring you remove the lint after every load of clothes has been dried, and never leaving the dryer running overnight or while you are out."

TALENT, OR - Excessive lint build-up in a dryer hose caused a morning fire that damaged the laundry room of a Talent house, authorities said.  A renter of a house opened the door to her laundry room and discovered smoke, Jackson County Fire District No. 5 Capt. Aaron Bustard says.  The woman grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher but the flames were growing rapidly so she fled the house and telephoned 9-1-1, Bustard says.  Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames shortly after arriving, Bustard says.  Bustard warns residents they should occasionally check exhaust hoses on dryers because lint does accumulate in them.

DURHAM, NC - Flames destroyed 70 percent of a home Wednesday night after a dryer caught fire, officials said.  City firefighters were called to a single-story residence at Chapel Hill Road, Deputy Chief Chris Iannuzzi of the Durham Fire Department said.  They found smoke and flames on the left and rear sides and the roof.  Iannuzzi said the fire was under control in about 20 minutes.  The fire's origin was a dryer that was running at the time.  Twenty-three firefighters responded to the call.

BUFFALO GROVE, IL - A structural fire damaged a townhome complex Sunday in Buffalo Grove, but no residents were hurt.  Two townhouses in a four-unit residentia building were left uninhabitable.  The fire started in a clothes dryer inside one unit in the 1044-1050 block of Pine Tree Circle North.  Firefighters saw smoke coming from the dryer vent on top of the second story roof and smoke in the common hallway, according to a Buffalo Grove Fire Department news release.  Firefighters found smoke throughout the first floor unit and fire inside the laundry/utility room that was extinguished quickly.

JACKSONVILLE, FL - A family escaped their home unharmed during a fire Friday morning, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.  When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke coming from the garage area and quickly extinguished the fire.  After their preliminary investigation, JFRD said the dryer in the garage sparked the fire that damaged the home.  Two adults and an infant were able to get out of the home without injuries.  The Red Cross is assisting the family because their water and power had to be turned off due to the fire.

CHATTANOOGA, TN - A Thursday morning fire at the Rustic Village North has displaced 18 people due to the extremely high levels of carbon monoxide lingering after the fire.  Chattanooga Fire Department Public Information Director Bruce Garner said in a news release that the fire started in a dryer in Apartment 304.  The fire was contained to the single unit, but the gas monitors used by the firefighters detected the carbon monoxide, and the affected residents were advised to not re-enter the building until later on Friday.  Several pets were also displaced, and are temporarily in the care of McKamey Animal Center.

NORTH PLATTE, NE - Karl Jones is glad to be alive after surviving a late night fire at his home.  According to North Platte Fire Marshall George Lewis, lint trapped behind the dryer is the cause of the fire.  "People need to keep an eye on that, cause that lint does burn as it showed last night," he said. "So, just keep an eye on it and make sure you clean the filters of the dryers and behind the dryer itself."

ANCHORAGE, AL - A dryer fire caused a large-scale evacuation at a Downtown residential complex Friday afternoon, with firefighters reporting lots of smoke as they extinguished the blaze.  AFD dispatchers say 13 units were sent to the Anchorage City Limits Lofts, at 239 W. 4th Ave.  Arriving crews reported smoke billowing from the building's second floor and residents already leaving.  While crews were able to bring the fire fully under control in about five minutes, dispatchers say the complex's residents were evacuated to the north side of the building due to the smoke still remaining inside.

COAL TOWNSHIP, PA - A dryer fire erupted into a major blaze that gutted a two-story home on Lower Excelsior Road Friday afternoon, leaving an uninsured couple homeless.  The blaze was reported at 1:23 p.m. A dryer in the laundry room near the front porch entrance caught fire.  The blaze spread to other parts of the older home and eventually caused the roof to collapse.

ALLENTOWN, PA - Crews rescued three cats and a dog after a dryer caught fire in an Allentown basement.  The fire broke out at around 6:30 p.m. Friday in the 500 block of North Sixth Street.  Fire crews managed to get the fire out quickly, but smoke did fill the building.

NORTH FORT MYERS, FL - A teenager saved her home and animals after a dryer fire.  The Bayshore Fire Department tells us only the girl was home when the fire started in the dryer.  She called 911 and got many of the family pets out of the home.  The fire department saved several animals as well.  The home has water and smoke damage.

MOUNTAIN, ONTARIO - A family is looking for a new home after their east Mountain basement apartment was severely damaged in a dryer fire.  A 56-year-old woman lived there with her daughter and the daughter's four sons.  It was called in as a dryer fire, but when firefighters arrived they found it had spread to the basement.  Firefighters remained at the scene for several hours to control hot spots and damage.

BRANCHDALE, PA - A Thursday morning house fire in Reilly Township, displaced a family of four.  State police at Schuylkill Haven said that fire departments were met with heavy flames coming from the back of the residence and were unable to enter due to the amount of fire.  The Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal determined the cause of the fire was the clothes dryer vent system in the left rear corner room of the residence.  The fire then spread up the wall and continued throughout the residence until firefighters were able to detain it.  Scot Andrews, 47, who lived in the house, said the washer and dryer were on when he left the house, but his wife, Laura Andrews, said they were new and she wasn't sure how they could have started the fire.  "It has to be totaled, they can't even put the fire out," Andrews said during the fire.

HUNTINGTON BAY, NY - Halesite Fire Department volunteers were called to extinguish a fire at a home on Chuck Hollow Court.  The fire began in a clothes dryer and extended to the laundry room, according to officials.  Nearly 40 firefighters using five trucks had the blaze under control within a half hour.  Officials say the fire was contained to the laundry room with smoke damage throughout the home.

MOBILE, AL - According to Mobile Fire-Rescue Officials, a fire broke out on a house in the 4-thousand block of Morhaven Drive off Dauphin Island Parkway.  Fire officials say the fire was caused by a clogged dryer vent in the garage.  They say the dryer was in the garage, but flames also got into the living area of the house.  Neighbors told the FOX10 crew, two of the homeowner's birds died in the fire.

MILTON, PA - A fire which was sparked by a clothes dryer spread throughout a Milton home Monday afternoon, causing $50,000 to $60,000 damage to the property, and displacing six.  Milton Fire Department Chief Sam Shaffer said the fire, which broke out at around 5 p.m., caused extensive smoke and heat damage to the home.

ROANOKE, VA - A fire caused by a dryer displaced three adults and two children in the 400 block of Harrison Avenue on Monday afternoon.  Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to the fire about 3:45 p.m., said spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury.  The fire and smoke sent residents out in the nearly 90-degree heat.  "We saw the flames," said resident Margaret Hairston, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead. "The smoke got thick."  Damage is about $5,000.

LEONI TWP, MI - A Leoni Township home was destroyed Sunday, June 8.  The Blackman-Leoni Township public safety department was dispatched to control a dryer fire, that sent plumes of smoke into the air.  "The home will be a complete loss," said Jon Johnston, deputy director of the Blackman-Leoni Township public safety department.

ROUND ROCK, TX - Thick, black smoke was billowing from a Round Rock home early Friday morning.  Firefighters were called to a home in the 2100 block of Jasmine Path.  Police officers were the first to the scene and reported seeing that thick smoke coming from the garage.  Investigators say a dryer is to blame for the fire.  The home suffered smoke damage and moderate fire damage to the garage.

NEVADA, MO - Nevada Fire Captain Kevin Scott said that the fire department responded to a house fire caused by a dryer.  The first responding fire team found smoke pluming from a front door.  Firefighters entering the home found the fire contained in a dryer.  Scott said the residence was then vented.

WILKES-BARRE, PA - A family of five was temporarily displaced from their home because of a fire that started in their clothes dryer.  Firefighters responded at 3:35 p.m.  Deputy Fire Chief Joe Temarantz said firefighters found a fire in the dryer when they arrived and extinguished it within five minutes.  The split-level home sustained smoke and water damage to the first floor and basement, as well as to the laundry room in the basement, Temarantz said.

LAFAYETTE, LA - Lafayette firefighters responded to a residential fire in the 100 block Radcliffe Drive.  Upon arrival, heavy smoke was coming from the single family dwelling.  Firefighters entered the structure and found the laundry room with the washer and dryer on fire.  The fire was quickly spreading to the adjacent rooms, but emergency crews were able to quickly extinguish the flames.  The dwelling sustained heavy fire damage to the laundry room and kitchen.  The rest of the dwelling sustained heavy smoke and heat damage.  Fire investigators determined the fire originated in the clothes dryer.

WAXAHACHIE, TX - Six residents were displaced from their home after a fire broke out Monday afternoon. Crews were dispatched to the 300 block of Lake Park Ave.  "The call came in as a reported structure fire involving a clothes dryer.  There was moderate smoke showing from the street," Waxahachie Fire Department Battalion Chief John Rodgers said.  According to reports from the Waxahachie Fire Department the source of the fire was determined to be excessive lint build up inside of dryer.  Further questioning from residents verified that the flames were first seen inside the dryer's drum.  Damage to the structure and its contents are estimated at $25,000.

TROTWOOD, OH - A senior assisted living home was evacuated Sunday after a dryer caught fire.  Smoke triggered the sprinkler system, which kept the fire in check while crews got their hoses on it.  Investigators say this fire should serve as a warning to all of us.  "Everybody that has a dryer, be very cautious, not only clean the lint trap in the dryer but make sure the exhaust vent is clear also, because that's 90 percent of where dryer fires start," said Rick Haacke, Battalion Chief for Trotwood Fire.

DURHAM, NC - For the second time this week, a clothes dryer fire has damaged a house in Durham, fire officials said.  Firefighters were called to a two-story home in the American Village subdivision, said Deputy Chief Chris Iannuzzi of the Durham Fire Department.  The fire started in the dryer and damaged a laundry room and adjacent room, he said.  Smoke damaged the rest of the house.  Fire officials emphasized the importance of periodically cleaning the dryer vent to ensure it's clear from the dryer to the outside vent.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, OH - A fire forced seniors at a nursing home to be evacuated.  Firefighters got the call to the Sterling House Living Facility Monday morning.  Forty seniors live at the home and 15 of them had to be evacuated.  Firefighters tell us the fire started in the dryer and it looks like it all happened because material inside the dryer, overheated.  Alzheimer's and dementia patients live at Sterling House.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - Jefferson County Dispatch reported a dryer fire in a house located in Shepherdstown.  The first police officer on scene advised of one occupant outside of the residence and heavy black smoke coming from the east side of the house.  Fire departments from Shepherdstown, Bakerton, Baker Heights, VA Hospital, Sharpsburg Md. and Boonsboro Md. responded to the incident.  The firefighters had the fire under control in about fifteen minutes.  Due to the quick response by the fire departments, the fire was contained to one room.

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Birmingham fire responded to a house fire early Thursday morning in the 1600 block of Matt Leonard Drive.  Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a fire in the dryer, most likely caused by dryer lint buildup.  "A good message here is: don't leave your dryer unattended when you leave the house," said Battalion Chief Buddy Wilks. 

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - Fire officials in Jefferson County were called to a home along the 300 Block of South High Street after a fire that started in a clothes dryer spread to surrounding walls.  Firefighters say they got the flames under control within 15 minutes of getting the call, and saved the house.  Firefighters say the structure of the home remains intact.  They expect the homeowners will be able to rebuild.

NORTH WILKESBORO, NC - A dryer fire sent firefighters and other emergency responders to a Clive apartment building Saturday afternoon.  The fire caused officials to evacuate residents from the top floor of the complex.  There was minimal smoke damage from the fire, Barron said.

NORTH WILKESBORO, NC - The second house fire within a month in the Wilbar community that started from a clothes dryer occurred early Thursday morning.  There was no homeowner's or renter's insurance on the house, Wilbar Fire Chief Rick Jennings said.  Jennings believed it started from lint in the dryer catching fire from hot metal coils that create heat to dry clothes.  He said lint can gather on a filter or become backed up in the dryer vent pipe, causing it to have contact with the hot coils, smolder and start a fire.  When a mobile home on Old N.C. 16 North in Wilbar was heavily damaged by fire on the night of April 16, Jennings and Hamby said it apparently started from lint in a dryer catching fire.

WINDSOR, ONTARIO CANADA - Damage is pegged at $100,000 after a house fire in the 300-block of Tuscany Cres in Tecumseh.  Fire officials with the Teucumseh fire department say the blaze started around 3pm on Thursday.  Five fire trucks attended the scene.  Officials say the fire was caused by a clothes dryer, and no one was hurt during the incident.

PLAINFIELD, IL - A fire that started in a dryer caused significant damage to a home in Plainfield, officials said Friday night.  Plainfield Deputy Chief Jon Stratton said the fire was called in after the homeowner saw smoke coming from the dryer.  "The fire extended from a laundry room area all the way to the living room," and was spreading into the second floor when firefighters arrived, Stratton said.  He estimated damage to the home at around $250,000, including the contents of the house.

KEGWORTH, LECESTER UK - Flames severely damaged the rear porch of a house after a tumble dryer caught fire.  Firefighters were called to the property shortly before midday.  Crew members wearing breathing apparatus tackled the blaze preventing it spreading to the rest of the building.  A spokesman for the fire service said: "It appears the cause of the fire was a tumble dryer in the rear porch."  He said the porch suffered 75 per cent fire damage and a further 25 per cent smoke damage.  There was also 25 per cent smoke damage to the kitchen.

CINCINNATI, OH - Fire officials say a laundry dryer caused a fire in an English Woods home that caused about $10,000 worth of damage Wednesday afternoon.  Crews arrived to the brick multi-dwelling home just before 4 p.m.  Smoke was coming from the first and second floor of the two-story home with an attic.  Firefighters contained the blaze to the kitchen.  Fire officials warn people not to dry clothes when they are not at home and to clean out the machine often.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - A clogged dryer caught an apartment on fire Monday night, displacing two adults, their two children and a dog.  The Tallahassee Fire Department responded shortly after 10 p.m. after a call of a fire in the laundry room.  TFD Spokesman Lt. Mike Bellamy said lint clogged in a dryer vent led to the fire.  The damage to the home was around $30,000, Bellamy said.  Bellamy said the gas dryer had been removed from the home and advised a word of caution.  "Have your dryer vent regularly cleaned by a professional," he said.

GREAT BEND, KS - Firefighters were able to save a home Monday morning after a buildup of lint ignited behind a dryer.  The call was reported at 8:35 a.m. and firefighters arrived to find light smoke throughout the house.  Battalion Chief Eugene Perkins said they got the dryer out of the house and were able to extinguish the fire fairly quickly.

TUCSON, AZ - A dryer started a house fire Friday night in the 3400 block of East 27th Street, displacing two people, according to Tucson Fire Department PIO Chris Jurvig.  Responding crews found multiple flames in different rooms in the house and attic space, according to Sgt. Jurvig. Ten units and 25 fire fighters responded.  Authorities determined the fire was started by an electric dryer in the laundry area.  The damages are estimated to be $75,000.

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS - Ocean Springs police officer Wesley Hall guided a frightened 84-year-old woman out of her smoke filled home on Hickory Street Friday afternoon. The woman said she realized the fire was caused by her dryer when she saw flames shooting out of her utility room.  Officials said the fire caused light water and moderate smoke damage to the house.  Fire officials say it is important to clean the lint trap on your dryer regularly to prevent a fire hazard.  They recommend you clean the lint trap after every load.  They also advise not leaving your dryer running when you leave home.

ATHENS, OH - Firefighters responded to Central Avenue after a fire was reported in the laundry room of the Timothy House.  According to Athens Fire Department Chief Robert Rymer, the fire started due to a buildup of lint in the exhaust of the dryer.  He estimated $15,000 in damages and said both the washer and dryer were totaled.  The room itself sustained damage as well.

WAVERLY, OH - On Monday afternoon, members of the Waverly Fire Department responded to a residence to extinguish a fire.  According to Waverly Fire Chief Randy Armbruster, the fire was caused by a clothes dryer.  He said the house received a little smoke but did reportedly burn a hole in the wall.

NORTH LIBERTY, IA - There were no injuries after North Liberty firefighters extinguished a fire that started in an apartment's dryer.  A third-floor resident reported that their dryer had started smoking and fire crews managed to extinguish the flames quickly.  Officials with the North Liberty Police Department, Coralville Fire Department and Johnson County Ambulance Service assisted with the incident.

FALCONER, NY - Excess dryer lint that ignited caused a house fire on South Work Street on Saturday night, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office said.  The dryer lint in the vent pipe of a second-floor apartment sparked the blaze at 10:20 p.m., the Sheriff's Office said.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - A woman was injured when she fell two stories during an Algiers apartment fire, according to the New Orleans Fire Department.  The unidentified 24-year-old woman fell as another resident attempted to lower her from the burning building, according to the fire department.  New Orleans EMS reported the woman was transported to LSU Interim with serious injuries, but was talking and conscious.  The fire department said no one else was injured, and the fire was brought under control with the help of 44 firefighters.  The fire was caused by a dryer on the first floor, the fire department said.

OLDMANS TOWNSHIP, NJ - A fire that was started by a clothing dryer resulted in the displacement of two township residents, fire officials said.  The fire started at 10:15 p.m. in the laundry room by the dryer and then traveled up the wall and into the attic space, according to Logan Volunteer Fire Chief Michael Moore.  The inside of the house cannot be lived in at this time due to damage from the fire, Moore said.

UNION TOWNSHIP, PA - Thanks to a quick response from firefighters, a home in Union Township was saved.  According to Shickshinny fire Chief Kevin Morris, firefighters responded on the report of a basement fire.  Morris said there was some damage to a clothes dryer on the first floor, but flames were contained mainly to the basement area where the vent pipe is.  He said the fire started in the dryer and built up in a pipe.  One woman was checked by medics after she smashed out a window for ventilation.  She suffered a couple cuts, but nothing major, Morris said.

KITCHENER, ONTARIO, CANADA - Damage is estimated at $5,000 after a gas clothes dryer caught fire in a Kitchener house at noon Friday.  A build up of lint started the fire, he said. Flames spread to clothes piled on top of the dryer before firefighters arrived.  The fire was extinguished quickly, but not before it filled the house with smoke.

NORTHFIELD, VT - Fire crews were called to a blaze that displaced the seven people living there and caused about $10,000 worth of damage, according to Northfield Fire Department Chief Pete DeMasi.  DeMasi said the blaze was caused when a dryer in the basement caught fire around 9:30 p.m.  He said none of the seven residents was injured and that the Fire Department had the blaze contained within 10 minutes.  He said most of the damage was from smoke.

LONG BEACH, CA - A family was able to escape without injury after a fire started by a clothes dryer left the residence destroyed.  The Long Beach Fire Department responded around 10:30 a.m.  Firefighters found a mobile home engulfed in flames when they arrived.  According to a Fire Department statement, a clothes dryer started the blaze.  Firefighters were able to contain the fire and stop it from spreading to adjacent mobile homes.  The damage was estimated to be more than $50,000.

JACKSON, NJ - Five people were displaced when a dryer fire damaged a condominium in southern New Jersey.  No injuries were reported in the fire, which broke out around 3:50 p.m.  Jackson police tell the Asbury Park Press that the fire caused smoke damage to the second-story home and damaged a downstairs unit.

WILMINGTON, NC - Officials believe a house fire was started by a dryer vent.  No one was home at the time; the family was at work and school when the fire started.  The homeowner said he left the dryer running when he left for work.  Officials say this is a pretty common cause for house fires and have ruled the incident accidental.  Investigators estimate the house suffered about $10,000 worth in damages.

ST. CHARLES, IL - Firefighters believe a clothes dryer sparked a townhouse fire in St. Charles.  According to a news release, St. Charles firefighters responded to a resident's 911 call to find a blaze in a second-floor utility room.  The resident of the unit was out of the home by the time firefighters arrived.  Firefighters estimated the damage at $30,000.

CHAPEL HILL, NC - A build-up of lint in the vent hose of a clothes dryer is to blame for a fire at a Chapel Hill apartment complex, investigators said Monday.  Firefighters were called shortly before 8:30 a.m. Friday, where firefighters found a moderate amount of fire and smoke near a dryer in one of the homes.  Authorities said the clog was in a curve in a flexible aluminum vent hose that had started smoldering while someone was using the dryer.  According to the Chapel Hill Fire Department, approximately 15,000 fires each year are caused by clothes dryers.

SOUTH DEERFIELD, MA - A clothes dryer fire in the basement ignited the wall behind it, forcing a family of six out of their home.  "There was a working fire in the basement, with heavy smoke conditions," said Fire Chief William Swasey.  Swasey said the cause of the fire was a dryer vent duct clogged with lint.  He said the family could not immediately reoccupy their house, because of damage to the electrical wires.

HYANNIS, MA - Firefighters treated a man for burns on his hand and a mother and son for smoke inhalation early today following a dryer fire on Alicia Road, according to the fire department.  The police received an emergency call at 1:35 a.m., according to Hyannis fire Capt. Craig Farrenkopf.  Firefighters found the first floor of the two-story Cape Cod-style house filled with smoke and a fire contained inside a dryer in the basement.  The man with the hand wound had awoken to smoke in the house, and he attempted to put the fire out himself.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - A house fire this morning left the people inside with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  The resident called 911 after smelling smoke in her home.  The mother and her three children were able to escape, but little to nothing could be salvaged.  Tallahassee Fire Department said the cause of the fire was a dryer which left an estimated $40,000 in damages.

BEAVERTON, OR - Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a reported house fire in Beaverton.  When the crew arrived on scene, they found moderate smoke coming from the two-story home.  The crews quickly located the fire in a second-floor laundry room and extinguished the fire.  A TVF&R Fire Investigator determined that the fire originated inside a clothes dryer.  Damage estimate from the fire is approximately $25,000.  Thanks to working smoke alarms, the occupants in the home, including a dog and a cat, safely exited the structure.

HOBE SOUND, FL - Two adults and several cats were displaced Thursday evening after a clothes dryer caught fire in the garage of their townhome in the 5600 block of SE Yorktown Drive, said Dan Hashburger, spokesman for Martin County Fire.  Firefighters arrived and found heavy flames and smoke in the townhouse.  The blaze gutted about 50 percent of the townhouse, Hashburger said.  The couple and their pets were able to leave the residence unharmed, Hashburger said.

LEXINGTON, KY - A family was unharmed Wednesday morning after a fire in their Lexington home.  Lexington Firefighters say it started out as a dryer fire inside the duplex on Norwood Circle, off Kenesaw Drive.  They say the fire then spread through the walls, but they tell us crews were able to keep it contained to just the laundry room.

BALLVILLE TOWNSHIP, OH - A township man was taken to the hospital after he overexerted himself trying to help fight a fire Wednesday at his neighbor's Whitney Drive home, the fire chief said.  He was treated at Memorial Hospital.  He estimated the damage to $15,000 and said it was limited to exterior of the home.  A snow drift was the main reason the fire started, Crowell said.  The dryer vents were covered by a 6-foot snow drift.  "Basically, his dryer vent was plugged with a snow drift," Crowell said. "It wasn't venting properly."  The dryer lint caught fire and then caught the house on fire, Crowell said.  The flames compromised the gas meter, which then started spewing gas.

KENOSHA, WI - Kenosha's Carrie Jewell felt lucky to be alive Wednesday morning, just one day after a dryer fire nearly destroyed her north-side duplex and claimed the life of a family pet.  Jewell, 69, said it was about 6:30 a.m. when her son Brad Jewell, 46, began pounding on her bedroom window.  Kenosha firefighters arrived in subzero conditions and battled the fire for nearly three hours.  Kenosha Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Haerter said the fire originated from a basement dryer and spread through the vent.  The home remains unlivable due to extensive fire, smoke and water damage.  Damage to the structure was estimated at $60,000, and to the contents at least $25,000, Haerter said.

WINNIPEG, MB, CANADA - A dryer fire is being blamed for a Sunday night blaze in North River Heights.  Around 9:15 p.m., crews were called to a house in the 300 block of Oak Street, said police.  The fire was caused by a dryer, resulting in $100,000 in damages, said a fire official.  No injuries were reported. The fire is not considered suspicious.

ROANOKE, VA - Fire displaced four people from the Copper Croft Apartments in Roanoke County.  Firefighters arrived at the complex and found smoke and fire in an upper-level apartment laundry room.  Investigators determined that the fire started in the dryer's vent and was fueled by nearby combustible material, said Roanoke County Fire & Rescue spokeswoman Jennifer Conley Sexton.  The blaze did about $30,000 in damage, she said.  Two men who live in the apartment below were also displaced by water damage, Conley Sexton said.

WILTON, CT - The Wilton Fire Department received the call at approximately 10:40 a.m.  "The fire started in a clothes dryer," Fire Marshal David Kohn said on Wednesday.  Deputy Fire Chief Mark Amatrudo said he could see heavy smoke coming from the house when he arrived.  Norwalk and Weston Fire Departments provided mutual aid.  "Most of the damage was limited to the laundry room and rooms immediately adjacent to it," said Mr. Kohn.

WORCESTER, UK - A TUMBLE dryer fire at a house next to a pub near Worcester has been brought under control today.  Two fire engines attended the fire by the Berkeley Arms in Spetchley.  A spokesman for the pub said the fire was at a house next door to the pub, not the pub itself.  A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Service said: "It was a fire in the laundry caused by a tumble dryer."  A spokesman said: "It did cause some smoke logging in the ground floor of the property."

OILDALE, CA - At about 11:37 a.m., firefighters responding to the scene reported smoke coming from the rear of a 1600-square-foot house on the 200 block of McCord Avenue.  Fire crews forced entry into the home and quickly extinguished the fire in the laundry room caused by a dryer.  The fire caused $10,000 in damage to the home, but firefighters were able to save $80,000 in property damage.

HUNTINGDON, PA - Three firefighters were injured responding to a house fire in North Huntingdon Township Monday night.  It started around 9 p.m. at a home in the 200-block of Cherry Lane.  The fire spread between the home and garage.  "We got called out to a dryer fire," said Assistant Fire Chief Mark Gibas. "Heavy fire and smoke out the rear of the structure.  It quickly spread into the garage, to a vehicle and that spread it into the rest of the home."

LOWELL, MA - A fire in a top-floor apartment on Cork Street on Sunday morning has reportedly displaced seven people.  Deputy Fire Chief Robert Flynn said crews responded just before 10 a.m.  Investigators determined the cause of the fire to be overheating in the dryer.  Flynn said occupants in that apartment were drying a blanket when the fire spread from the unit to the walls.  Flynn noted one man was taken to the hospital in an unknown condition.  Fire Department crews entering the building also found a Chihuahua they rescued on scene.

LAWRENCE PARK, PA - Fire crews made quick work of a fire early this morning, and it's all thanks to working smoke detectors.  A dryer caught fire in a home, setting off smoke detectors and waking up the family.  The residents were able to call 911 after the alarms went off, and fire crews had the fire put out in about 5 minutes.  Thanks to the smoke detectors, the family made it out of the home safe and sound.  Due to the frigid temperatures, about five fire crews were called to the scene.

WILLIAMS LAKE, BC CANADA - The Williams Lake fire department responded to a house fire on Foster Way.  "The fire started in a clothes dryer and spread to the washer and part of the room as well," Fire Chief Des Webster said Monday.  "The fire damage was contained to the laundry room, however, there was smoke damage to the rest of the basement."

MENIFEE, CA - A dryer caused a fire today at a Menifee home, a spokesman said.  Firefighters received a 911 call at 1:52 a.m. from someone in the 33000 block of Jasper Circle.  They arrived to find light smoke coming from the single- story home, Riverside County Fire Department spokesman Mark Annas said.  The fire was contained 2:03 p.m., Annas said.

HARRISBURG, PA - A dryer fire caused damage to a home in the 1900 block of Park Street in Harrisburg, said a Harrisburg fire official.  Firefighters were called to the scene at 5:50 a.m., said Capt. Stephen Miller.  He said the dryer was destroyed and there was some smoke in the home, but little other damage.

DERBY, CT - There were no injuries after a dryer fire inside a home on Olivia Street.  Derby firefighters and EMS were sent at about 9:30 a.m. after receiving a report of smoke filling the home.  "The first crews went in and they found fire in a (clothes) dryer," said Derby Fire Department Assistant Chief Bob Laskowski.  "The fire was contained to the dryer and the vent duct." There was smoke damage throughout the house.

BEDFORD, IN - Firefighters from Shawswick Volunteer Fire Department because of a quick response were able to extinguish a dryer fire.  Four firefighters from Shawswick, who responded with one engine and a tanker.  Shawswick Capt. Bob Barber says lint in the dryer vent caught the laundry room area on fire.  "There was a lot of smoke in the home and we used a positive pressure fan to ventilate the area," Barber estimates damages at around $5,000.

MURRAY, KY - A clothes dryer has been determined as the cause of a fire that gutted one apartment unit and left the other three with water damage Monday at a townhouse on Cambridge Drive just outside of Murray.  Calloway County Fire-Rescue Chief Tommy Morgan said Wednesday that the determination was made by investigators with the Kentucky State Fire Marshal's Office.  "The fire damage was confined to the one unit but it was pretty well burned up," Morgan said.

NEWMARKET, NH - Nichols Avenue was closed to traffic for about an hour Wednesday evening as fire crews worked to contain a dryer fire reported around 4:46 p.m.  The fire started as tenants of the two-story duplex were doing laundry, said Fire Chief Rick Malasky.  He said the fire took about 15 minutes to get under control.  "The guys did a great job knocking it right down," said Malasky.  Due to the smoke that spread throughout the building, residents in both units in the duplex were evacuated so that the homes could be ventilated.

OCEANSIDE, CA - An Oceanside family escaped without injury after a dryer in their home caught fire, authorities said.  The blaze was reported just after 8:15 a.m. on Kraft Street, Fire Chief Peter Lawrence said.  A fire investigator determined that the blaze started in a dryer and spread into the walls and throughout the home, he said.  The fire caused about $70,000 in damage to the home and its contents, Lawrence said.  However, the damage led the city's building department to tag the home as uninhabitable.

MURRAY, KY - No injuries were reported Thursday evening from a fire in southern Calloway County.  Calloway County Fire-Rescue Chief Tommy Morgan said a clothes dryer was on fire in a utility room when CCFR units arrived on the scene and that blaze was quickly extinguished.  Morgan said information provided by the homeowners indicates that they had left the home for a short time after a load of clothes had been placed in the dryer and the appliance activated.  Upon returning, Morgan said the homeowners told him they saw smoke coming from the structure.  Morgan said the fire was confined to the dryer area, but smoke had spread through the entire home.

NORFOLK, VA - A family of five, two adults and three children, are without a home after a dryer caused a fire inside of their Norfolk home on Thursday night.  Witnesses told fire crews that they saw smoke coming from the home.  Crews arrived around 9:06 p.m, they were able to put the flames out by 9:35 p.m.  Officials have determined that the fire was accidental.  They say it was caused by a dryer in the utility room of the home.