By DENNIS J. WRIGHT
dwright@PhoenixvilleNews.com

PHOENIXVILLE — It wasn't a happy wash day for one unknown individual as clothes left in a running dryer started a fire that caused an estimated $16,000 at the Happy Wash Day Laundromat, 31 Bridge Street, Tuesday evening.

According to Phoenixville Fire Chief Jim Gable, firefighters responded to the Laundromat shortly after 7 p.m. December 2 after a load of clothes caught fire inside the top part of a stacked Maytag dryer unit along the upper right-hand side of the wall.

"The clothes that were inside the dryer caught on fire," said Gable. "There was visible fire and heavy smoke when we arrived on scene. We contained the fire to the dryer, and went into the apartments on the second floor to check for any additional fire."

Firefighters accessed the second floor apartment, which was filled with light smoke, to evacuate the family living in there.

"The fire could've easily made its way inside the apartment," said Gable. "We were able to contain it to the first floor."

Firefighters removed the stacked dryer unit, and began their investigation into the cause. They inspected the dryer unit, as well as the area behind the remaining 18 dryer units inside the laundromat.

Several metal tubs of charred clothing were

brought out of the laundromat and hosed down as a precaution. Firefighters began sifting through the clothing to check for an accelerant.

The Laundromat is owned by the Stillman family.

Gable said the Laundromat would be closed for the rest of the night, and possibly re-open today.

Tenants that occupy the apartments above the laundry were allowed back into the top part of the building.

Gable said the estimated damage to the dryer unit and building was $16,000.

Numerous fire police kept traffic from entering Phoenixville from Upper Providence Township, and allowed only one lane of traffic entering into Upper Providence Township.

Fire officials re-opened the section of Bridge Street in front of the laundry after 90 minutes.

Assisting at the scene was Phoenixville Fire Department; Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Company and West End Ambulance; along with fire police from Phoenixville, Valley Forge Kimberton and Mont Clare fire companies.