Washing machine sparks apartment blaze

A LARNACA mother and her teenage daughter yesterday escaped unharmed after a short circuit in their washing machine sent their two-floor apartment up in flames.

The fire broke out at around 8am in the apartment located on 1 April 1955 Avenue while the mother and her 18-year-old daughter were home. The two tenants were alerted to the blaze by their neighbours who told them their house was on fire. When the women opened the door the oxygen ignited the flames and sped up the fire’s progress. Although mother and daughter attempted to battle the blaze with a fire extinguisher they were unable to stop it from spreading. Thankfully only the second floor suffered extensive damage while the first floor remained untouched, reports said.

Larnaca Fire Chief Stelios Stylianou said fire fighters had used oxygen masks to enter the apartment while the smoke escaped from the apartment block’s skylight.

An investigation by the Electromechanical Service determined the fire had started from the washing machine which had been on at the time.

The cost of the damage is estimated in the region of €70,000 and the apartment was insured against fires.

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