Sheriff's Office warns to check dehumidifiers after Washington County homeowner returns to find smoke in basement

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) – The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is reminding people to make sure their dehumidifiers have not been recalled after a woman came home to find a fire in her basement.

The Sheriff’s Office says they received a 911 from a homeowner near Hubertus Road in the Village of Richfield who reported she'd returned home to find her house filled with smoke.

The caller said the smoke was coming from the basement and that everyone was out of the residence.

When first responders arrived, they found a dehumidifier had burned and caused extensive smoke damage to the basement and other areas of the house. The fire did not spread beyond the dehumidifier.

Authorities say the dehumidifier had been plugged in about two hours before the fire was discovered and that it was too badly burned to determine whether it was a recalled model.

The Sheriff’s Office says homeowners should check their dehumidifiers if they were purchased before 2014 to make sure they have not been recalled for posing a fire risk.