WASHINGTON COUNTY -- The Washington County Sheriff's Office is urging residents to check on the history of their dehumidifiers after a possibly recalled unit was to blame for a $40,000 house fire in the Town of Addison.
Deputies received a 911 call around 2:30 a.m. Thursday from a 60-year-old woman who said her home was filling with smoke.
She and her husband were able to escape safely, but the 60-year-old man was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital for smoke inhalation after he went back inside to retrieve some personal items.
Fire officials quickly determined that the fire was caused by a basement dehumidifier that "may have been subject to either a stop sale notice from the manufacturer, or possibly a recall."
The fire remains under investigation, deputies say.
In a news release, the sheriff's office urged residents to thoroughly research the history of their dehumidifier units on websites like this one.
