YMCA Building Evacuated After Dryer Catches Fire Over Weekend

A dryer caught fire at the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA on Saturday just before 4 p.m., resulting in an evacuation and a visit from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“It was one of the dryers and there was no other damage,” Kim Beattie, spokeswoman for the YMCA.

In May, a dryer fire caused an evacuation and another visit by fire department.

“This was a different dryer,” Beattie said.

“There is usually someone in the laundry room, so the fires in both cases were caught early,” Beattie continued.

“The staff saw sparks inside the dryer; it did flame,” Beattie said.

The staff called the fire department and used a fire extinguisher to contain the blaze. They removed the towels and moved them out into the parking lot, she said.

According to Stephanie English, spokeswoman for the LACoFD, stations 19, 82 and 11 responded to the YMCA. Employees had put the fire out before the firefighters arrived; Station 19 firefighters made certain it was contained. Damages are estimated at $5,000.

The YMCA evacuated the facility and closed down until the following morning. They have contacted the dryer manufacture to help the YMCA discover the cause of the fire.