Centralia Nursing Home Partially Evacuated During Smoke Scare

Residents were briefly taken outside as firefighters investigated a malfunctioning dryer.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 3:36pm

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Centralia City Firemen were called to the Fireside Nursing Home on Saturday afternoon after smoke was seen coming from the laundry room. As a precaution, those in the west wing were taken outside until the cause of the problem could be determined. Firefighters pinpointed the issue to a malfunctioning dryer, and there was no fire. Residents were then allowed to return to the nursing home.

Why it matters

Nursing home evacuations can be stressful for elderly residents, so it's important that staff and first responders are able to quickly assess and resolve any potential emergencies to minimize disruption and ensure the safety and comfort of the residents.

The details

Firefighters were called to the Fireside Nursing Home in Centralia, Illinois on Saturday afternoon after smoke was reported coming from the laundry room. As a precautionary measure, residents in the west wing of the nursing home were evacuated outside while the firefighters investigated the source of the smoke. They determined that the smoke was caused by a malfunctioning dryer and there was no actual fire. The residents were then allowed to return to the nursing home.

  • The alarm came in at 2:50 Saturday afternoon.

The players

Centralia City Firemen

The local fire department that responded to the smoke scare at the Fireside Nursing Home.

Fireside Nursing Home

A nursing home located in Centralia, Illinois where the smoke scare occurred.

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The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of nursing homes having robust emergency preparedness plans in place to ensure the safety and comfort of residents in the event of any potential crises, even if they turn out to be false alarms.