BROOKSVILLE, FL – On 12-09-20 at approximately 1:24 p.m., the fire alarm was activated at the Hernando County Detention Center; the alarm system indicated fire in the laundry room.
Hernando County Fire and Emergency Services was dispatched to the Detention Center. Detention Deputies evacuated the immediate area while others responded to the laundry room with fire extinguishers.
Investigation revealed Deputies were performing daily laundry duties and placed a load of wet laundry into one of the commercial dryers. Approximately 40 minutes later, a fire started in the drum of the commercial dryer. The fire quickly grew, engulfing the entire dryer.
As expected, the fire suppression system (which triggered the fire alarm) activated and extinguished the flames within seconds. By the time Deputies arrived at the laundry room, the fire was out.
Hernando County Fire and Emergency Services and the Brooksville Fire Department arrived on the scene within four minutes with a total of 10 apparatus. Upon arrival, fire crews responded to the laundry area where they addressed what was described as “fire smoldering in a dryer.”
There were no injuries as a result of the fire.
The laundry room/area is situated in a portion of the detention center that is separate from the inmate housing units; therefore, no inmates were relocated or evacuated during this incident.