Laundry fire sparks concerns over smoke detectors

Published 10:40 am Tuesday, November 24, 2009

ARLINGTON — For the second time in two nights, firefighters stood outside homes full of smoke and didn’t hear the shrill sound of working alarms.

A laundry dryer likely sparked a house fire early this morning in the 17600 block of 34th Avenue near Smokey Point. Crews quickly contained the fire, which was reported just after 3 a.m., but seven people lost their home, Arlington Fire Battalion Chief Tom Cooper said.

Investigators from the Snohomish County Fire Marhsal’s Office determined the fire started in the laundry room, Cooper said.

There were no working smoke detectors, he said. A couple of adults happened to be awake, noticed the fire and helped the family escape.

Support 46 and the Snohomish County chapter of the American Red Cross helped the three adults and four children who were displaced.

On Sunday night, a garage fire in Arlington displaced a family of six. Firefighters said they didn’t hear smoke alarms sounding at that blaze.

Working smoke detectors save lives, officials said. They can cost as little as $10 and many fire departments distribute them for free.