The New York Post has confirmed that the fire in actor Robert De Niro’s s multi-level apartment originated in the laundry room. Luckily, the actor and his family were not at home during the fire and no other tenants within the building were harmed. The 5th floor of the building did sustain extensive fire, smoke and water damage. The exact cause of the fire was due to a build-up of lint in a clothes dryer. A firefighter told reporters at the scene “Some of the lint [in the dryer] caught fire.”

This laundry dryer fire could have been avoided with diligent maintenance. Even the rich and famous are not excluded from emptying the laundry lint trap after each and every load of laundry. But, beyond the lint trap the dryer’s venting system also needs scheduled maintenance to avoid the sparking of flames. Read our safe laundry tips on cleaning dryer vent hoses and other clothes dryer maintenance, here, to avoid a fire in your family’s laundry room.