Blaze Contained After Fire In Wall At Bloomingdale Woods Apartments

Updated at 3:45 p.m. Dec. 12

VALRICO, FL — An electrical problem in a kitchen wall behind a dryer is being blamed for a fire that broke out at the Bloomingdale Woods Apartments in Valrico Tuesday morning.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said on Facebook its firefighters were called to 3453 Eagle Ridge Court at 8:49 a.m. after a resident reported his washer-dryer combination unit in the apartment was sparking and catching fire.

Firefighters foundd light smoke coming from the ridge vent of the two-story apartment building. When they investigated, they discovered a fire in the wall behind the dyer that was making its way to the attic.

A resident told Patch the dryer had not been used since the previous day, and that the fire was in the kitchen and had to do with the wiring behind the stackable washer and dryer.

Firefighters launched an interior attack on the blaze and were able to contain it to the apartment's laundry room. No residents were in the apartment at the time, but firefighters rescued a cat.