NORTHAMPTON — A dryer fire emptied out a laundromat in Florence Thursday afternoon.
The Northampton Fire Department received a call around 2 p.m. about a fire at Florence Laundry,at 198 Pine St. Deputy Chief William Millin said the fire, which was inside one of the dryers, was knocked down at about 2:10 p.m., about five minutes after firefighters arrived.
The fire led to smoke and water damage to clothes inside, and to the building itself.
Asked if it was a total loss for the clothes inside the dryer that caught fire, “I would say yes,” Millin said.
Christine Martin was doing laundry with her mother, Sharon Martin, at the laundromat when they noticed the fire.
“The fire was already large enough where you could see it,” Martin said. “It was full-blown flames.”
She added, “We saw the flames come out of the door after we stepped outside.”
The Fire Department has not yet determined the cause of the fire. Assistant Fire Chief Jon Davine said that he did not believe the laundromat would reopen Thursday.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com