The laundry of a busy Warwick motel has been gutted after a dryer caught fire

Co-owner Clint Hoffman said quick-thinking staff saved the prime Warwick business from near-disaster, but the damage bill was expected to be more than $40,000.

Fire erupts at a Warwick motel

The laundry of a Warwick motel was damaged by fire when a commercial dryer caught alight this afternoon.

Co-owner of The Warwick Motor Inn Clint Hoffman said he was alerted to the blaze by a maintenance worker just after midday.

Staff acted quickly and pulled the laundry out of the dryer, turning the gas off and using fire extinguishers to control the blaze.

Cleaners Angela Doran said Pam Newman said they were just finishing their shift when the fire started with the two jumping in to help by pulling the burning laundry from the dryer.

Mr Hoffman praised the actions of his quick-thinking staff.

“It was lucky they hadn’t left, 10 minutes later and the whole thing could have been destroyed,” Mr Hoffman said.

Warwick fire officer Shane Cartwright also commended staff on their swift response.

Mr Cartwright said crews were quickly able to get the fire under control despite the heavy smoke presence.

“We enacted our positive pressure vent fans to extract the smoke and make the scene safe,” he said.

Initial investigations suggest the fire began in the dryer itself, but Mr Cartwright said the QFES would carry out formal investigations.

While the owners are yet to know the full extent of the damage, Mr Hoffman said the dryer was worth around $40000.

Mr Hoffman also co-owns the next-door Warwick Gardens Galore and said stock for the shop was also being stored in the fire-affected building.

Fire erupts at a Warwick motel