Dryer Causes Fire in Middletown Tuesday Night

Middletown, NJ - What caused a fire in a home in the Old Village section of Middletown Tuesday night? The home's dryer.

At 6:03 p.m. Tuesday, Middletown Township firefighters were dispatched to 26 Daniel Drive, where the resident said they realized there was a fire in the basement when the basement's smoke alarm went off. The resident investigated and found heavy smoke and fire in the basement and immediately called 911 after running outside.

Chief Steven Schweitzer found the dryer fully engulfed by flames, and the fire had extended to the rest of the basement laundry room. Steven quickly applied two dry powder extinguishers to slow the fire’s progress. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to primarily the basement laundry room area and it was declared under control by 6:24 p.m.

Did you know? Dryers are a leading cause of home fires. The biggest cause of dryer fires is failure to clean them. More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January, according to FEMA data. Prevent dryer fires by:

• Cleaning the lint filter before and after each load of laundry. Don’t forget to clean the back of the dryer where lint can build up.
• Cleaning lint out of the vent pipe every three months.
• Have your dryer cleaned regularly by a professional, especially if it is taking longer than normal for clothes to dry.

There were no reported injuries in the Daniel Drive fire, which is being investigated by the Middletown Township Fire Marshall’s office. All photos were taken by Laurie Kegley, MTFD PIO photographer.