Although often overlooked, clothes-drying units can be dangerous: that’s what Mountain View Fire Department officials are reminding the public after extinguishing a dryer fire last week.
Emergency personnel received a 3:51 p.m. 9-1-1 call Oct. 23 regarding a laundry room fire in a 3-story apartment complex in the 800 block of North Rengstorff Avenue, according to a fire department news release. MVFD crews were dispatched at 3:51 and arrived at the scene three minutes later; occupants of the complex had evacuated before fire personnel arrived.
Firefighters who arrived first to the scene were met with smoke on the third floor originating from a heavier plume in the laundry room. Fire personnel extinguished the fire and ensured the flames hadn’t spread after an overhaul of the affected structure. Salvage operations were taken to drain water from the third-floor and two apartments directly below the laundry room. The third floor and two apartment units sustained minimal water damage. Prior to leaving, firefighters reactivated the sprinkler system water supply and replaced the sprinkler heads.
Firefighters determined the origin of the fire was a dryer unit that had overheated because of lint buildup; lint buildup, fiber and dust were the leading cause of clothes dryer fires, according to the press release.
“The NFPA recommends that your dryer be installed and serviced by a professional, never use a dryer without a lint filter, clean the lint filter after each load of laundry and ensure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted when the dryer is operating,” the release read.
Firefighters estimate the damages to contents and structure will cost around $40,000. The estimated damage to the contents and structure is $40,000.
