BATON ROUGE — A clothes dryer is to blame for a house fire in Baton Rouge over the weekend.
The fire happened just before 4 p.m. Saturday on Hyacinth Ave. near Staring Ln. and Perkins Rd.
Baton Rouge Fire Department officials say when they arrived there was heavy smoke pouring from the home. Firefighters were able to enter the house through the carport door where they encountered heavy fire. Luckily, they were able to contain the fire damage to the laundry room.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are an average of 15,970 home fires involving a clothes dryer or washing machine every year. The NFPA says 92% of these fires involve clothes dryers.
The agency says these fires lead to more than a dozen deaths, more than 400 injuries and $238 million in direct property damage.
The leading items first ignited in dryer fires were dust, fiber or lint and clothing. Experts say it’s important to make sure you clean the lint trap periodically and ideally after every use. You can also have professionals come out and clean the vent duct as an added precaution.
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