Fiery dryer lint causes damage

Lint from a clothes dryer caught fire and set a home ablaze in Tryon Friday, the P.E.I. Fire Marshal’s Office has found.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the office outlined its investigation regarding the incident at the home on Branch Road.

Steve Martin and his wife, Robyn, lived at the residence, which is owned by Steve’s father, Victor Martin. Steve was home at the time of the fire, but his wife was out. They attribute a working smoke alarm to waking Steve from a nap and allowing him to escape with their dog.

“This fire has been ruled as accidental in nature with the origin in or around a clothes dryer in the porch/laundry area, on the main level of the home,” says the report from the Fire Marshal’s Office. “The cause is attributed to the ignition of lint in the dryer and/or duct work.”

The Crapaud fire department was the main responder to the fire, with help from Kinkora and Borden fire departments.

“The structure sustained heavy fire damage to the main level of the dwelling and smoke and water damage throughout the remainder of the home,” said the fire marshal.

The home was insured, the Martins told The Guardian.

The fire marshal’s report also presented findings from two other investigations recently.

There was a second major fire Friday, this one in a machine shop at a residential property in Hunter River.

“The building was completely destroyed by the fire,” said the report.

“The cause of this fire has been ruled as undetermined due to the level of destruction.”

The third report looks at a fire Saturday evening at a home in New Glasgow.

“The fire has been ruled accidental in nature with the origin in the wall of the porch, behind a propane heater that was mounted on the surface of the wall,” said the Fire Marshal’s Office.

The unit overheated, setting fire to materials in the wall, it said.