Basement Smoke Caused By Overloaded Wash Machine

One Moorland Rd. resident might be wondering how their laundry landed in the sink this weekend.
 
Ladder 6 was dispatched to the building after a witness reported smoke in the basement.
 
Nobody was evacuating as firefighters arrived. They used their Knox Box key to gain access to the building and encountered light smoke throughout the basement.
 
Firefighters pinpointed the source in the laundry room, where a wash machine’s display read “ERROR” and smoke filled the room. The appliance was overloaded with laundry and no longer operating properly when firefighters attempted to restart the cycle.
 
The wash machine was unplugged and disconnected from water lines before firefighters examined the motor. Though it was overheated, the motor was no longer smoking.
 
Firefighters ventilated the basement as they removed the wet clothes and placed them in another wash machine and a nearby sink. The original wash machine was still full of water.
 
The officer was unable to reach building maintenance. After the air cleared, Ladder 6 returned to service and the clothes awaited their trip through the dryer.