Laundry room fire causes inmates to evacuate Augusta jail
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A fire at Charles B. Webster Detention Center led to evacuations on Thursday night, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says the fire was discovered in the detention center laundry room at 8:09 p.m. when one of the commercial dryers caught fire. A second dryer and a portion of the area were damaged due to the fire.
The sheriff’s office says Detention Center Sergeant Chad Dodaro responded immediately, using a fire extinguisher to help suppress the flames until the Augusta Fire Department arrived on scene.
The sprinkler system also helped contain the fire but contributed to water damage in the area.
The female ward — which is near the laundry room — was evacuated, deputies say.
“Overall, we were able to get everyone out in a timely manner,” said Sheriff Eugene Brantley.
According to the Augusta Fire Department, firefighters arrived on the scene at 8:14 p.m.
The fire department says the laundry room was filled with heavy black smoke when firefighters arrived.
Deputies say firefighters on scene ventilated the area using industrial fans and confirmed the cause of the fire was likely kitchen towels that retained cleaning chemicals and small amounts of grease. Due to higher temperatures produced by industrial dryers, the materials caught fire.
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“The quick thinking and brave actions of Sergeant Dodaro, the fast response of our firefighters, and the commitment of our deputies ensured that this incident was handled swiftly and safely,” said Brantley. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated public safety professionals serving our community.”
The sheriff’s office says there are no known injuries and no major damage.
But some inmates and deputies were evaluated for smoke inhalation and exposure, according to the fire department.
“I’m glad the damage was no more than the dryer. I was able to see some of the clothes and the trashcan, and little damage on the back side of the dryer, no major damage,” said Brantley. “Early indications from the fire department indicated that possibly some lint and some oil that drags the heat that is generated might have started the fire.”
As of 11:32 p.m., deputies say all inmates were secured within the facility, and operations have returned to normal.
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