The Effingham Fire Department was called to Comfort Suites on West Fayette Avenue Tuesday morning for what turned out to be an overheated dryer. One hotel employee said “it just got warm and the thing went off,” referring to the overhead sprinkler system in a hotel laundry room.
Captain J.R. Nieman, of the Effingham Fire Department, said that “what was explained as an explosion” from an overheated dryer motor triggered the sprinkler system in the laundry room. According to him, hotel staff were able to cut the power and gas to dryer, and the fire department shut off the sprinkler. There was some minor water damage in the laundry room, but no one was injured.
Captain Niemann explains the situation.