Dryer sparks fire at Brooks
The burned-out dryer in the Brooks Hotel laundry room was the point-of-origin of the fire Friday afternoon.
Photo by CHANSE WATSON
Shoshone County Fire District No. 1 firefighters air out the Brooks, as it was filled with smoke prior to their arrival.
Fire engines with Shoshone County Fire District No. 1 block off a portion of Cedar street while they respond to a fire at the Brooks Hotel last Friday.
WALLACE — While the whole job of a laundry drying machine is to heat up and dry out clothes, they aren't supposed to get so hot that they spit out literal fire.
Shoshone County Fire District No. 1 Lt. Victor Malsom explained to the News-Press that crews responded to the Brooks Hotel & Restaurant last Friday for a report of fire in their laundry room.
While enroute to the call, dispatch notified them that people had been evacuated from the building.
Firefighters arrived on scene at 4:03 p.m. and immediately witnessed smoke coming from the doors on the first floor and windows on the second floor.
The first team on scene immediately focused their attention on the source of the fire — a dryer in the hotel's laundry room.
A single hose line was all that was necessary to extinguish the blaze in a short amount of time.
The second firefighter crew on scene initiated a primary search of all the floors to evacuate any remaining persons that may have still been in the building.
Once the primary fire was out, attack crews then checked for possible extensions of the fire to floors above and in the basement.
With the fire out and all persons accounted for, crews began ventilation of the building to remove the heavy smoke lingering throughout it.
Fire crews from neighboring SCFD No. 2 were called out for mutual aid, but were canceled while enroute.
While fire damage was contained solely to the affected dryer and immediate ceiling, much of the first and second floors did receive a decent amount of smoke exposure.
Lt. Malsom states that the fire’s origin was a mechanical and electrical malfunction of a commercial grade dryer for the hotel.
"No fowl play was present," he said. "It appears to be unintentional due to malfunction."
No injuries resulted from the incident.
Personnel from the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office and the Osburn Police Department also assisted by conducting traffic and bystander control.
Malsom was sure to complement the response and actions of the Brooks employees who dealt initially with the fire.
"The quick thinking of the staff to begin evacuating everyone, immediately call 911, and maintain active fire alarm systems definitely allowed for this positive outcome."
