Basement Appliance Fire Temporarily Displaces West Side Household

A resident on Pebble Beach Drive returned home from a brief getaway to find their house filled with smoke and ash. Ladder Co. 2 and other west side MFD crews responded to the 911 call.

There were no immediate signs of fire upon firefighters’ arrival, but once they entered the home they were met with heavy gray smoke throughout the house. All surfaces were covered in about a quarter-inch of ash. No heat was detected in the home at the time.

Ladder Co. 2 went down to the basement, where the smoke seemed to be heavier. There, they found an appliance believed to be a dehumidifier that was burned up. No other fire or heat-related damage was found. Firefighters noted the appliance was burned down to ashes and cannot be positively identified as a dehumidifier. The appliance was surrounded by non-flammable objects like water pipes and a refrigerator, so the fire did not spread beyond its point of origin. No pets were home at the time of the fire.

Crews opened up doors and windows to clear the smoke out of the house using positive pressure ventilation fans. The home was deemed temporarily uninhabitable due to the toxic air conditions.