"WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington Fire Department has wrapped up its investigation into an early morning fire on Francis Marion Drive.
The fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. Crews were able to extinguish the fire around 3:30 a.m.
Firefighters say excessive lint build up in the vent system is to blame.
The home was destroyed. No one got hurt.
The Red Cross is helping the family with temporary housing.
The fire department says as a reminder, do not use the dryer without a lint filter, make sure you clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry, make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap will open when the dryer is in use." See the whole article here.
Dryer vent cleaning is an important part of home maintenance. Dryer manufacturers recommend having your dryer vent line cleaned at least once a year, sometimes more depending on the frequency of dryer use or if there are pets in your home. Maintaining a clean dryer vent line helps prevent home fires as well as a number of other health and property risks.