Fire Department

A fire that broke out at an assisted care residence was caused by an older, recalled dehumidifier that malfunctioned.

Crews were notified of a problem at 7710 S. Brookline Drive after an automatic fire sprinkler activated, sending an alarm to Dane County 911 Public Safety Communications Center. The sprinkler kept the fire contained, which allowed on-site staff to deploy a fire extinguisher and put it out.

When Ladder Company 2 arrived on scene, firefighters were directed to the location of the fire. There they found heavily damaged dehumidifier.

The dehumidifier in use was an older model for which there had been several recalls. A drainage tube attached to the collection tank allowed the dehumidifier to run without interruption. Although the fire produced a lot of smoke, damage was confined to the dehumidifier, and there were no injuries or displaced occupants because the automatic sprinkler caught the fire right away.

The Madison Fire Department has responded to a number of fires involving dehumidifiers that were recalled, were older models, or were simply left to run constantly for indefinite periods of time.

It is unsafe to allow your dehumidifier to run uninterrupted. Homeowners and occupants should use the proper collection tank which, when full, will prompt the dehumidifier to stop running until the tank can be emptied. Additionally, make sure your dehumidifier has not been recalled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission lists all appliance recalls on its website.