Dryer Fire

[rjwarner]

Had my 1st dryer fire day before yesterday. Thankfully, I was attended at the time and my attendant was able to take the burning/smoldering sleeping bag outside and "stomp" the fire out.

No real damage was done to my store or dryer, but I am concerned as to why this happened.

Talked to disty and he suggested that I take a look at the cameras to see what my customer did.

So I see him load the dryer, then proceed to shake some powder type substance from a box before starting the dryer. I am told the powder is baking soda.

Just before the cycle ends, I see the flames. The flames stop as the drum stops and the tub fills with smoke. THen my attendant arrives to remove the sleeping bag.

What do you all make of this? Could it be the baking soda? I thought that baking powder is used to stop fires. And why would anyone put baking soda in a dryer?

I tested the dryer, and it was cycling properly.

Help!

[chslaundry]

Originally Posted by rjwarner

And why would anyone put baking soda in a dryer?

Help!

if the internetz says it, it must be true. see Tip #3 on "how to stop using dryer sheets" (boob didn't read the rest of the paragraph)

http://www.ehow.com/how_4733688_stop...er-sheets.html

[Adamski]

Chris,

The way I read your link, the baking soda should go into the washer ... not the dryer. I suspect the baking soda was directly linked to the dryer fire.

[chslaundry]

Originally Posted by Adamski

The way I read your link, the baking soda should go into the washer ... not the dryer. I suspect the baking soda was directly linked to the dryer fire.

of course, the article meant for the baking soda to go in the washer, but you know how details get lost when passed from one person to another.

i'm not sure how baking soda could have caused that fire directly. it's not flammable, instead merely decomposing into water, carbon dioxide, and sodium carbonate (which is the primary ingredient for washing soda).

i'm leaning more towards the customer not washing a wet sleeping bag, which had ungodly amounts of outdoorsy debris stuck to it because it was wet, and the debris igniting from the heat.

[subati]

Originally Posted by rjwarner

Had my 1st dryer fire day before yesterday. Thankfully, I was attended at the time and my attendant was able to take the burning/smoldering sleeping bag outside and "stomp" the fire out.

No real damage was done to my store or dryer, but I am concerned as to why this happened.

Talked to disty and he suggested that I take a look at the cameras to see what my customer did.

So I see him load the dryer, then proceed to shake some powder type substance from a box before starting the dryer. I am told the powder is baking soda.

Just before the cycle ends, I see the flames. The flames stop as the drum stops and the tub fills with smoke. THen my attendant arrives to remove the sleeping bag.

What do you all make of this? Could it be the baking soda? I thought that baking powder is used to stop fires. And why would anyone put baking soda in a dryer?

I tested the dryer, and it was cycling properly.

Help!

Most likely pine needles from camp site or something like that.

[Washemup]

sitting down doing paper work about 430 today at store #3 and smelled strong odor of marijuana. Checked the bathroom, no odor, outside, no odor, other side of store, no odor, dryers where i was sitting near, strong odor. Opened 1 nothing, opened 2, BINGO. Customer had left plastic bag of about 5 grams in his pocket in ziplock bag. Bag was melted, weed was gone, attendants were smiling and eating ice cream.