Quick-reacting staff saved residents from smoke inhalation when a dryer caught fire last weekend at Mount Si Transitional Health Center in North Bend.

The dryer fire started around 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, in the laundry room. A single sprinkler head went off, the water containing the fire until firefighters arrived.

The alarm also went off, and staff evacuated the residents to a safe area in another part of the building.  The fire department arrived and finished extinguishing the fire and ventilated smoke from the building.

The fire and life safety system worked as designed and contained the fire to the room of origin.  There was minimal damage to the dryers and laundry area.

According to the state fire marshal’s office, knowing what to do in a fire emergency is important. Staff at the transitional center knew what to do because they participated in regularly scheduled fire drills.  They knew that they needed to protect residents from deadly smoke and gasses produced during a fire.

“Knowing what to do in a fire emergency is key to keeping everyone safe,” State Fire Marshal Chuck Duffy stated. “Fortunately, the activation of the fire sprinkler and alarm systems notified emergency responders without delay. The quick action of Mount Si staff protected the residents from harm.”

• You can learn about residential fire sprinkler systems at http://www.homefiresprinkler.org.