Portsmouth Firefighters Assist in St. George's School Fire

The  quickly extinguished a fire in a laundry dryer in a dorm at the St. George’s School Friday night.

Around 7:45 p.m. Friday night, an emergency call alerted firefighters that there was a fire in the basement laundry room of the dormitory Auchincloss Building on the campus, located off Purgatory Road, according to Middletown Fire Department Chief Ronald Doire.

Two Middletown Fire Department engine trucks and a rescue truck responded to the scene.

Firefighters found a smoke-filled basement and used an extinguisher to put out the fire, said Doire.

No injuries were reported and students were allowed to return to the building within about 40 minutes after firefighters ventilated the building, said Doire.

Middletown Fire Marshal Adam Westman determined that that the dryer fire was accidental, said Doire.

The Middletown Fire Department crew responders were: Captain Andrew Meehan and firefighters Nate McGillivray, Rob Hargis, Bill Homer and Joe Mitchell.

The Newport, Portsmouth and Navy fire departments provided assistance by sending Newport Engine 5, and the Portsmouth Tower Ladder to the scene, while the Navy sent an engine to cover the Middletown Fire Station during the response, according to Doire.