MANASSAS, Va. (AP) -- Three people working on a broken dryer were burned Monday in a gas fire at a company that does laundry for some 20 Washington, D.C., area hospitals.
``A gas valve was either accidentally opened or intentionally opened that allowed a gas leak,'' said Capt. Tim Taylor of the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue. The gas escaped and came into contact with two working dryers.
``That caused the instantaneous explosion and fire,'' Taylor said. The fire - and the water used to extinguish it - did extensive damage to Healthcare Textile Services, which does about 80,000 pounds of laundry a day.
``Our biggest concern right now is the 20 hospitals that we support out of this facility, getting our equipment back online, trying to find some backup help in the area,'' said Paul Heinrich, a company spokesman. He said four dryers - each with a capacity of 400 pounds - were affected.
