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LAFCRD responds to two homes fire in less than 24 hours

By Melissa Bill - | Jan 26, 2022

A fire that started in a dryer displaced a Lehigh household of 12 over the weekend.

On January 22, the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District responded to the home fire in the 2500 block of 39th Street W, in the Harris neighborhood, on Jan. 22.

“Our crews were dispatched to a call for a dryer on fire at 3:30 p.m. There were no injuries,” said Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District spokesperson. “A total of 12 people were displaced from the home. The Red Cross is providing assistance to that family. The cause of the fire was most likely a build-up of lint in the rear of the dryer and into the motor housing.”

LAFCRD asks residents to please follow dryer safety tips:

The leading cause of clothes dryer fires is a failure to clean them. In addition to cleaning the lint filter in the dryer, it’s important to check the outdoor vent to ensure it’s clear as well.

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.

It’s also important to turn the dryer off when you leave home or are sleeping to prevent damage to your home or injury to you and your family.

Within 24 hours, the Lehigh Acres Fire District also responded to a home fire on Lola Avenue South. The fire affected a family of three people, including a child. 

“Our units responded to a structure fire in a left side duplex at 2442 Lola Ave. Upon arrival, we had smoke showing. The fire was quickly located, contained, and extinguished in a bathroom in the rear of the structure. The fire did not spread to the right side of the duplex. There was fire damage in the bathroom and smoke damage throughout the unit. The Red Cross was contacted for the displacement of two adults and one child,” Heck said.

The Red Cross disaster-trained team helped coordinate emergency aid to both Lehigh structure fires – a team made up of local American Red Cross volunteer members of the Disaster Action Team, from the Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland Chapter.