PENHOLD - A local apartment building was evacuated during the early morning of Oct. 4 when a dryer in a laundry room caught fire.
There were no injuries to tenants or firefighters. Crews from the Penhold Fire Department were able to rescue several pets and return them to their owners.
The fire department was called at 4:25 a.m. on Oct. 4 to respond to a structure fire on Robinson Avenue.
"We arrived to find a three-storey apartment building. People evacuating told us that there was smoke coming from the laundry room," said fire Capt. Josh Wilson, adding fire crews immediately entered the laundry room to attack a dryer fire.
Fire Chief Jim Pendergast said the fire was under control "in minutes" and crews checked the building to make sure all residents and pets were safely evacuated.
He said the dryer was removed from the laundry room and taken outside. Damage from the fire is estimated at about $5,000, said Pendergast. Fire crews remained on scene until after 7 a.m.
Two days earlier at 9:37 p.m. on Oct. 2, Penhold firefighters responded to a reported unattended fire on a balcony at a house on Healy Close.
Acting fire Lieut. Ryan Clarke said when firefighters arrived at the scene they witnessed a firepit being fed by propane burning on a balcony.
"We checked both upstairs and downstairs but neither residents were home. We used a ladder to gain access to the balcony and we managed to shut off the propane,” said Clarke.
Fire Chief Pendergast said it was a "very dangerous situation," noting the town's past large fire incidents caused by open fires on balconies and decks.
"We encourage people to make sure that any open flame firepits or appliances never be left without a responsible adult in attendance," said Pendergast.
He said there was no injuries from the Oct. 2 incident. Pendergast added firefighters spoke with the building owner and then cleared the scene to respond to another emergency.
