Faulty dehumidifier causes fire in north Fargo home, causing smoke damage but no injuries

FARGO — Firefighters responded to a house fire caused by a faulty dehumidifier the afternoon of Sunday, May 22.

The Fargo Fire Department arrived at 3:55 p.m. at 1137 8th St. N. The caller reported heavy black smoke was coming from the basement.

The first arriving company reported black smoke from floor to ceiling on the main floor. The three people in the house were leaving with their pets as firefighters arrived. None of the three people or any pets in the house were injured.

Crews were able to put out the fire within six minutes of first arriving on the scene. The fire damage was limited to a dehumidifier and a water filtering system near the dehumidifier in the basement. Most of what burned was plastic, however, which released large quantities of black, sooty smoke throughout the home.

Firefighters used ventilation to clear out the smoke as quickly as possible, but it is likely the smoke damaged many of the items inside the home.

An initial dollar estimate to replace the belongings is $10,000. No residents were displaced.

The cause of the fire was a faulty dehumidifier. The maker of the dehumidifier that sparked the fire, Gree, was ordered to recall products sold under various brand names in 2013 that were involved in numerous fires.

Gree made and recalled 12 brands of dehumidifiers. Anyone using these dehumidifiers should stop using them. A list of the brands made by Gree that are being recalled can be found on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website at https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2013/gree-recalls-12-brands-of-dehumidifiers.