Laconia Fire Department saves laundromat from Saturday dryer fire

LACONIA — No one was hurt in a dryer fire Saturday at Roberts Laundromat on Union Avenue in Laconia. The Laconia Fire Department managed to save the longtime laundry staple when a dryer caught fire Saturday morning. By 1 p.m. the same day, Roberts was back up and running, albeit with a few machines out of commission.

“I filed an insurance claim, but it’s a long weekend and I won’t hear back till Tuesday,” said laundromat owner Sandy Roberts, who described the Laconia Fire Department as “wonderful.” Roberts explained that fires are a rather common occurrence in the industry.

“We do routine maintenance and our equipment is well taken care of,” Roberts said. “We’ve been in the business 25 years, almost 26. It’s important for consumers to read the labels of the clothes they’re putting into the dryers.”

Many fabrics, like polyester and other man-made fabrics, should not be dried at high temperatures, Roberts explained, adding that many people don’t think twice before changing from the washer to the dryer due to time and money constraints. 

“People are paying by the minute and it’s the same price on hot as low, so people sometimes pick hot,” Roberts said. “But for commercial dryers, hot is very hot.”

In addition to picking the proper settings, Roberts advised consumers to be conscious of the time.

“People also don’t want to deal with wet clothes so they’ll put a load in for 1.5 to 2 hours while they do errands, while that load should be 45 minutes to an hour,” Roberts said, saying she understands that her customers greatly value their time. Reducing drying time may limit one’s flexibility on laundry day, but can save money in the long run, and prevent fires. 

The Laconia Fire Department could not be reached for comment due to the observed holiday on Monday.