Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish a fire at a Greensburg coin laundry service late Thursday after authorities said they believe an item inside a dryer may have spontaneously ignited.
City Fire Chief Tom Bell said rags that may have had oil or grease on them left in the dryer after Nu-Way closed for the evening likely sparked the flames. The fire was reported at 11 p.m. on Highland Avenue adjacent to the Greensburg Shopping Center.
The coin laundry service had closed at 7 p.m., but owner Tamara Zimmers said she received a notification from a security company at 10:50 p.m. that there was smoke in the building. She said she could not see much of the interior of the building because of the thick smoke.
Bell said that notification helped firefighters respond quickly and prevent more extensive damage to the building. There was soot and smoke throughout the structure in addition to the damaged dryer and wall nearby.
The laundry service was reopened by Friday afternoon while it underwent cleaning. Bell described the damage as minimal.
