A street view of 187 Central Ave.
No one was injured in a home fire early this morning at 187 Central Ave., according to the city fire department.
City firefighters responded to the fire at 4:45 a.m., in bitter 9 degree temperatures, after an alert resident spotted the fire, said Chief Wayne Friedman. There were no working smoke detectors at the residence, Friedman noted.
The department’s investigators determined the fire was caused by “a potential malfunction” of a laundry room dryer, Friedman noted in a news release.
Initial information indicated there was a kitchen fire at the Eastside home, according to the department. When firefighters from the South Franklin Street station arrived they spotted smoke from the residence’s back laundry room, according to the department.
The family and city police officers told the department everyone was out of the home, while firefighters brought a hose line into the building, Friedman said. Firefighters discovered the dryer fire, which had spread to the laundry room wall, and quickly extinguished the flames, he said.
The department used fans to remove smoke from the home and dragged the dryer outside, according to the release.
Despite the small fire, the family was able to return to the house after the smoke was ventilated, said Capt. Carl Grantham this afternoon. The damage was limited and contained to the laundry room, according to the department.
“The fact that an occupant was awake and noticed the fire prevented the situation from being more severe,” he said.
Friedman noted the danger to the families lives the lack of smoke detectors posed and urged all city residents to install and check detectors.
“The intent of a smoke detector is to alert them and get them out,” Friedman said. “Working smoke detectors and proper maintenance of appliances are essential for the safety of everyone in your home and needs to be a priority.”
All firefighters and city police officers assisting at the residence were back in service by 6 a.m., but some firefighters from the day shift returned later to install working smoke detectors at the home, he said.
The firefighters took it upon themselves to go beyond what was required to make sure the family was safe, Friedman said, adding he will sleep better tonight knowing one more city family is protected.
