Refrigerator fire ignites propane tank and burns down Washington home, police say

An “aging” refrigerator caught fire and sparked a chain reaction that destroyed a home, Washington police said.

The Burien home is a “complete loss” after the fridge malfunctioned and caught fire in the garage around 6:20 a.m. May 30, according to a news release the King County Sheriff’s Office posted Tuesday.

The flame ignited a propane tank that was being used to keep the refrigerator’s door closed and “torched the SUV parked nearby,” the sheriff’s office said.

“The good news is the owner and his two dogs escaped unharmed,” according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities warned residents that storing older refrigerators in uninsulated garages increases the likelihood of incidents like this.

“Aging compressors and other components are no longer able to withstand the swings in temperatures we experience in the Northwest,” the sheriff’s office said. “These parts work harder and generate heat that can start a fire.”

This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Refrigerator fire ignites propane tank and burns down Washington home, police say."