Battalion Chief Kevin Hawkins of the Roanoke Rapids Fire Department said firefighters received the call just before 4:45 p.m.

Union Mission staff used an extinguisher to knock out the fire and firefighters finished the job with a water extinguisher.

There was moderate to heavy smoke throughout the building and firefighters used a fan to draw out the smoke.

Hawkins said the gas dryer line came loose, which required a gas leak to be stopped. “There was a potential for a major incident.”

Firefighters remained on the scene for approximately 50 minutes.

Hawkins said firefighters were not immediately able to determine the cause of the fire. “We don't know if it was an electrical malfunction or something caught hold.”

The dryer was being used at the time of the fire and the inside melted.

Hawkins said it wasn't clear whether the dryer, which is 6-feet tall and 3-feet wide, could be repaired. He said Union Mission staff did not say whether the organization could fund the purchase of a new dryer or fund the repairs. “We're not sure how they're going to replace it.”

There was no answer at the Union Mission this evening.

Hawkins estimated damages to the machine to be between $2,000 to $3,000.