The cause has been ruled accidental, after a blaze on Tuesday evening at the Westown Laundromat, located at 1002 Dufferin Avenue in Wallaceburg.
“Station #3 – Wallaceburg (career and volunteer firefighters) and Station #2 – Chatham responded to Westown Laundromat on Dufferin Ave in Wallaceburg at 5:42 p.m. for reports of smoke in the building,” Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services officials said in a media release.
“The business owner and customers who were in the building at the time were alerted when they saw smoke coming from the clothes dryers. When Station #3 arrived on scene they could see smoke and flames coming from the roof of the business.”
Fire officials added: “Firefighters quickly made entry into the building to pull ceilings and gain access to the fire, while firefighters worked on the rooftop opening vents. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the dryer section of the laundry mat including the interior wall and ceilings.”
Fire officials say crews remained on scene until 7:30 p.m. checking for hotspots and further extension on the roof.
No injuries were reported and damage is estimated at $175,000.
“A leading cause of dryer fires in homes is the lack of dryer maintenance,” fire officials added.
“Homeowners are reminded to inspect and clean the lint screen after each load of laundry. The build-up of lint can lead to a fire. Regularly remove lint from metal ducts and exhaust vents. The inside of the dryer cabinet should be cleaned as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Regularly inspect the air exhaust to ensure it is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap opens when the dryer is operating.”
Here are a couple of videos from the scene:
Laundromat fire in #Wallaceburg @ckfiredept (1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/3tzvVFOayG
— Sydenham Current (@SydenhamCurrent) December 1, 2021
Laundromat fire in #Wallaceburg @ckfiredept (2 of 2) pic.twitter.com/txc2Bvi7ph
— Sydenham Current (@SydenhamCurrent) December 1, 2021
