Oily rags in dryer likely cause of Inverness house fire with damages of $15K
Photos courtesy of CCFR.
Inverness (Citrus County), Florida - On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at 1:40 pm, Citrus County Fire Rescue responded to a residence on E. Monica Ct. in Inverness, due to the report of a structure fire. Firefighters arrived on scene to find a residence with smoke coming from the front door, and the property owner exiting the residence. He advised firefighters that the residence had been evauated
Fire crew members began extinguishment of the fire and secured the power. The power company arrived on scene to further secure the power. Searches were conducted to ensure that no occupants remained inside the residene. The fire was contained to the laundry area and quickly extinguished. No further fire extension was located. The fire was determined to be under control at 1:57 pm, and the last unit cleared the scene at 3:03 pm.
Positive pressure ventilation was completed, followed by natural ventilation. Carbon monoxide levels were verified to be at a normal level. The property had working smoke alarms at the time of the fire. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the displaced occupants.
It appeared that the fire was accidental and started inside the dryer, due to oily towels. Damages were estimated at approximately $15,000. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters from the Highlands, Hernando and Floral City fire stations responded to the fire, along with the Safety Captain.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of 1,600 home fires each year are caused by spontaneous combustion or chemicals. For more safety information please see the publication, Safety with Oily Rags, at: https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Safety-Source-from-Xchange/18441/OilyRags5517.ashx?h=723&w=555&la=en&hash=C2FB426C1FDFDE4D510F49F50C938B34.
Contact Citrus County Fire Rescue by phone at (352) 527-5406, or by dialing 911 in Citrus County, Florida. in the event of an emergency. Visit online at www.CitrusCountyFire.com, Facebook.com/CitrusCountyFireRescue, or Twitter.com/CitrusCoFire.