A laundry room fire at a housing center in Longview led to the evacuation of more than 60 people Wednesday morning.
Crews responded to scene at the Community House, located at 1107 Broadway Street, just after 8 a.m.
The first crews on the scene found smoke coming from the second floor on the alley side of the building. Firefighters said that staff at the facility said the sprinkler system had activated in a second-floor laundry room.
The residents and workers at the facility had evacuated the building and were gathered across the street.
Fire crews worked quickly to make sure the fire was extinguished and that no one was still inside.
Medical crews responding to the scene treated two patients, one complaining of smoke inhalation and the other, who has limited mobility, having pain from having to quickly evacuate the building.
Fire officials say the fire damage was limited to the dryer, which was destroyed, though there was secondary damage from smoke and water on the first, second and basement floors.
"Without a sprinkler system, the outcome of this fire would have been much worse," Battalion Chief Blake Tomlinson said. "Yes, there's water damage, but that's so much easier to deal with than a burned-out building."
The Red Cross has opened a reception center for the people affected at the Three Rivers House of Prayer, where they are providing food and other necessary items for those affected by the fire.
Fire officials say they think people will be able to return to the facility late in the afternoon or early in the evening Wednesday. Click here for full story:
