News Reports

Faulty dryer causes fire, evacuation at Jefferson Lodge

By KIMBERLY LONG
The Fulton Sun
 
A malfunctioning dryer appears to have been the cause of the early-morning fire Friday that caused 57 residents at Jefferson Lodge to be evacuated.

No one was injured. Facility officials Friday afternoon said an estimate of damages still had yet to be assessed.
Fulton Fire Department reports state the alarm sounded at 1:16 a.m., with fire officials arriving on the scene three minutes later.

“When the trucks approached the scene, heavy smoke was showing from the laundry room entrance, with flames,” said FPD Capt. Kevin Coffelt. “It appears there was a mechanical failure while the towels were being dried. The first thing that ignited were the towels.”

Smoke detectors at the facility were present and functioning, he said.

The fire was contained to the laundry room and extinguished within 5 minutes. The building was ventilated as fire personnel removed the dryer and searched for hot spots. Engines cleared the scene at 2:57 a.m.

According to Coffelt, the evacuation of the facility already was in progress when fire personnel arrived. Facility director Mary Skinner commended the efficiency of her staff.

“This type of thing is always a very scary situation, because we never know how they (residents) are going to react,” Skinner said. “But all went well and no one got hurt. The fire alarm went off the way it was supposed to and the staff had everyone out of the building in less than three minutes.”