Fire Forces Evacuation of Assisted Living Facility

-Bay City News

Nearly two dozen residents were evacuated from an assisted living facility in Moraga Thursday night as firefighters extinguished a blaze sparked by a laundry dryer, a fire battalion chief said.

Fire crews were called around 9:25 p.m. to reports of a fire at the Aegis Senior Living facility at 950 Country Club Drive, Moraga-Orinda Fire Battalion Chief Sean Perkins said.

Crews arriving at the scene saw thick smoke coming from a first-floor corridor of the facility and found a large commercial laundry dryer in flames, according to the battalion chief.

An automated sprinkler system helped contain the blaze, and firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire. Meanwhile, 20 residents at the facility were evacuated to ambulances and to an Aegis bus where they stayed warm as crews worked to rid the building of smoke.

Once the building was deemed safe to re-enter, Aegis staff members helped residents get back inside. No injuries were reported. It is unclear what caused the laundry machine blaze.

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