A 21-year-old Quad City woman died Monday, August 5, 2013 - a little more than a week after her house burned in a fire later blamed on a clothes dryer.
Kasandra Martinez was the only person home at the time and firefighters had to rescue her from a second floor window.
"She was an artsy girl that loved to dance,” said her pastor, Tim Bowman.
Mick Dochterman, Moline Fire Marshal, said the cause of the fire was an overheated clothes dryer. However, it is not clear what caused the dryer to overheat.
"It is fairly common,” Dochterman said.
According to the US Fire Administration from 2008-2010, there were 2,900 clothes dryer fires each year, causing an estimated five deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property damage.
"It is often times preventable or predictable,” said Dochterman.
Dochterman says there are ways to prevent dryer fires including not overloading the dryer, keeping flammable items away from the dryer, and keeping vents and lint filters clean.
It is recommended that you clean your lint filter after every load. When lint builds up, it can block the flow of air, and cause the dryer to overheat.
Vents leading from the dryer can also get blocked. It is recommended that they get checked every year or whenever there might be a problem.
A funeral service for Martinez was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 11, 2013 at Calvary Church of the Quad Cities in Moline.