Perkiomen Fire Co., Other Crews Extinguish Dryer Fire

A home in the 400 block of Dartmoor Road in Perkiomen Township suffered "minor damage" after a dryer on the second floor caught fire around 3:30 this afternoon.

It appears a mechanical failure sparked the blaze, according to  Deputy Chief John Barnshaw. The fire was under control in less than 30 minutes.

Barnshaw said four people were in the home when the fire broke out; the smell of smoke alerted the family to the situation. They called the fire department, and all were able to safely exit the residence. Barnshaw said the family will be staying with relatives tonight.

None of the home's occupants was injured; a firefighter was treated by at the scene for a second-degree burn on his finger.

Although it was not the apparent cause in this fire, Barnshaw encouraged Perkiomen Valley-area residents to help prevent dryer fires by cleaning out lint traps. People should also remove the appliance's front panel and clean the lint that can build up in other parts of the dryer, according to the fire company.

, and fire companies also responded to the scene.