It doesn’t happen often that a firefighter finds a building fire while driving, but that’s what happened Sunday. And it’s a good thing, said Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Chief Randy Acker.

“Another half hour, the fire would have grown immensely,” Acker said.

Deputy Chief Rich Brantner Jr. saw a haze while driving and drove toward it. What he found was a fire at the laundromat at 109 S. Market St. in Martinsburg.

Acker said the fire started in a dryer that a customer had turned on and left while his clothes were drying.

Martinsburg engines were dispatched at 8:35 p.m., and assisting engines arrived from East Freedom, Duncansville, Roaring Spring and Williamsburg volunteer fire departments.

There is nothing suspicious about the fire’s origin, and although an apartment above the laundromat was severely damaged by the fire, the occupants — a man and his girlfriend — were not home and are currently renting another apartment, Acker said.