South Invercargill grandmother June Mortimer surveys the ruined washhouse at the O'Hara St, Invercargill, house she shares with her daughter and son-in-law and their two children.
The fire is believed to have started in the clothes drier. Mrs Mortimer said she and her daughter Melissa Brown were in the kitchen, next door to the washhouse, about 2.30pm yesterday when they heard a loud ''pop'' and smelt smoke.
She said she had closed the door between the kitchen and the hallway leading to the washhouse when she started the drier a short time earlier and was told by firefighters her actions had saved the rest of the house.
Invercargill Senior Station Officer Alan Goldsworthy said closing doors was a practice the Fire Service recommended as fires could spread up to 10 minutes faster when doors were open.
''You can see the benefits [at O'Hara St]. The damage to the rest of the house is minimal.''
