LETTER: A fire chief’s reminder to prevent common house fires
Editor’s note: On Dec. 23, a house fire destroyed a three-unit apartment building in St. Albans. Thankfully, the tenants were not inside although one cat was reported to have perished in the blaze. The cause of the fire was determined to be a clothes dryer. The following is a message from Chief Matt Mulheron of the St. Albans Town Fire Department.
To the Community:
In the wake of the most recent building fire our community has once again come together to support the residents of this tragedy. This is a reminder to how quickly a fire can start and spread through a home during an activity that is done every day by our citizens.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind our citizens of the actions they can take to prevent another tragedy from happening.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), failing to clean your dryer is one of the most common causes of fires. The drying process creates a great deal of lint. While the lint filter in your dryer catches much of this lint, some may still build up in the dryer, in the exhaust vent, and in other areas in and around the dryer chassis. An estimated 2,900 dryer fires occurred in 2022, which is approximately eight fires a day in the U.S.
The NFPA has standards to make sure all dyers are within fire code compliance. According to the NFPA standard NFPA 101: 31.5.1 - 2015 Edition, exhaust ducts for clothes dryers shall meet the following criteria:
They shall be constructed of rigid sheet metal or other noncombustible material and shall have a smooth anterior surface.
They shall have a minimum thickness equivalent to No. 24 galvanized steel gauge (0.024 in 0.61 mm) for Type 2 ducts and No. 28 gauge (0.016in. 0.406mm) for type 1 ducts. NFPA 211 - 10.7.3.6 2)
Dryer ducts shall be inspected and cleaned and if necessary, annually. NFPA 211 Section 14.2.
When it comes to getting your vent cleaned, it is best to reach out to a professional, certified contractor who is familiar with these codes.
Matt Mulheron, fire chief
St. Albans Town Fire Department