Dryers cause of laundry room fires, including at YMCA

FINDLAY — Ninety-two percent of fires that start in a laundry room are caused by the dryer, Findlay Fire investigator Kevin Shenise said Wednesday. According to a Jan. 5 incident report, Findlay Fire Department was dispatched to Findlay Family YMCA's downtown branch, at 300 E. Lincoln St., a little after 11 a.m. for a report of a fire in the laundry facilities. A Facebook post on the Findlay YMCA page states the building was evacuated due to the fire that originated in an on-site dryer. All guests and staff were able to safely evacuate the building, and it was later reopened after an hour of ventilation. Investigators believe the fire started in a load of towels in the dryer. The towels were later removed and extinguished outside. After the fire had been contained first responders found the temperature inside the dryer to be much warmer than normal. Maytag.com states if a dryer is functioning normally, the maximum temperature should not exceed 200 degrees. "The upper dryer cabinet inside was over 300 degrees," the fire report states. "The exhaust duct was approximately 80 degrees … The fire appeared to have been contained within the dryer drum." How to avoid a dryer fire Shenise said that if a fire is going to start in the laundry room, it is most likely going to be caused by the dryer. "What we have found is that people don't think about behind their dryer, the vent needs cleaned," he said. "The cleaning process starts each and every load when you clean out the lint trap; a lot of people don't do that." Shenise also said it's important to clean out the dryer exhaust vent at least once a year to prevent excess lint from collecting and causing a blockage in the vent. "What that (blockage) does is cause the machine to not vent properly, which slows down the drying process because it can't get rid of the excess heat and moisture," he said. "This causes the machine to work harder and overheat, which causes fires." These fires can then be made worse by chemicals on the laundered items in the dryer. Shenise said this is more likely to happen in the commercial setting, but is not impossible at the residential level. "Manufacturing facilities, restaurants … will typically have rags that they clean with and use cleaning products," he said. "Maybe those rags don't get properly cleaned and your dryer isn't working properly … those things can make the fire bigger than what it would have been." If one were to smell smoke or notice flames, Shenise said the first step is to get to safety before calling 911. He also said it's important to leave doors shut to starve the flames of oxygen. "The door in the shut position will keep the growth of the fire smaller … If you can deprive (the fire) of something, it will stay smaller." Prevention of a fire in the home starts with proper maintenance of appliances, including dryers. If a dryer is becoming a fire-hazard, one may notice cycles take longer to dry clothing thoroughly or a hot smell. "I think that can be across the board," he said. "Whether we're talking about a dryer, a furnace, a hot-water heater so they operate most efficiently." He also said it's important to check smoke or carbon monoxide detectors periodically to ensure they will warn residents of danger.