Tucson Fire responds to laundromat dryer in flames

Around 11 p.m., multiple calls were placed to 9-1-1 reporting visible smoke coming from the laundry business located on the 4400 block of South 6th Avenue.

Shortly after arriving, firefighters forced entry into the building through the front door and encountered heavy smoke from floor to ceiling, said Tucson Fire Department spokesman Captain Chris Jurvig.

Crews worked to locate and extinguish the fire, a ventilation hole was cut using a chainsaw at the roof of the building to increase visibility inside the structure.

Firefighters were able to contain the blaze within 21 minutes of dispatch.

The spontaneous combustion of rags inside a commercial dryer was determined to be the cause of the fire.  

The laundromat was unoccupied during the time of the incident, no injuries were reported.

The estimated damage of the blaze is $10,000.