TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - On Monday, Feb. 24, 2014 at 7:59 a.m., the Tallahassee Fire Department (TFD) responded to a house fire on the 800 block of Dover Street.
TFD says a resident called 9-1-1 after smelling smoke in her home. Firefighters say the mother and child got out of the home safely as fire crews arrived. Firefighters quickly put out a fire in the dryer.
No one was injured. Damages are estimated at $40,000. The Red Cross was called to assist the displaced family of four.
The Tallahassee Fire Department wants to remind residents that the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to maintain them. They recommend people follow these tips to keep you and your family safe:
Have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional.
Do not use the dryer without a lint filter.
Make sure you clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry. Remove lint that has collected around the drum.
Rigid or flexible metal venting material should be used to sustain proper air flow and drying time.
Make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap will open when the dryer is operating. Once a year, or more often if you notice that it is taking longer than normal for your clothes to dry, clean lint out of the vent pipe or have a dryer lint removal service do it for you.
Keep dryers in good working order. Gas dryers should be inspected by a professional to make sure that the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks.
Turn the dryer off if you leave home or when you go to bed.
