Heroic Customer Stops Dryer Fire, Saves Local Businesses
By, CCCNews Team
THE DALLES, Ore. — A quick-thinking customer prevented a potentially devastating fire at Raindrop Laundry in The Dalles on Sunday, March 16, when a dryer unexpectedly caught fire.
Patrons standing with the extinguished dryer and the fire extinguishers used.
The incident occurred during a typically quiet Sunday at the self-serve laundromat, a common weekly routine for many local residents. The dryer fire erupted suddenly, the cause of which remains under investigation.
Emmanuel Dominguez Ruimos, a customer at the laundromat, quickly sprang into action. Recognizing the urgency, Ruimos rushed to retrieve a fire extinguisher from a neighboring Momiji restaurant. He then promptly removed burning clothes from the dryer and successfully extinguished the flames before emergency responders arrived.
"One of our customers had the mental awareness to run get an extinguisher from the restaurant next door and was able to pull the clothing out—I think before fire department arrived," said Cindy, co-owner of Raindrop Laundry. "Heroic action by our customers saved a lot from being harmed."
An employee of Raindrop Laundry, who monitors a police scanner, alerted owners Cindy and Steve immediately. The owners, who were nearby, arrived within two minutes. Along with the employee, they quickly cleaned up after the incident and kept the business operational.
"She helped us clean up the mess afterward, and we are able to keep the laundromat open," Cindy said. "Everyone was fine and really sweet about it. We appreciate how everyone responded so well."
Local firefighters arrived shortly afterward to ensure the fire was completely extinguished and to assist in the cleanup efforts. Thanks to Ruimos' rapid response, the fire did not spread, preventing possible extensive damage to the laundromat and nearby businesses.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The Dalles Fire Dept Standing with extinguished items
