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SYRACUSE - Two people were treated for smoke inhalation Monday morning after attempting to extinguish a fire at a Syracuse nursing home.
Donna Coy, an employee of Miller's Merry Manor, and Donald Hicks, a relative of an employee there, were treated at Goshen General Hospital and later released.
According to Syracuse Fire Chief Larry Hunter, Coy and Hicks were using fire extinguishers to put out a fire in a dryer in the MMM laundry room. Hunter said the fire was contained to the dryer, in which mops were being dried.
Because the mops did not have any chemical residue on them, Hunter said, the cause for the fire is undetermined at this time, but it is likely that the material just became too hot.
As a result of the fire, there was heavy smoke in the laundry room, but only minimal smoke in the hallways. The nursing home consists of three pods, Hunter said, and each was closed off according to policy. No resident injuries were reported.
The fire was reported at 6:40 a.m. Monday at the Pickwick Drive facility. Syracuse Fire Department is the investigating agency.
