This laundromat washed 1,500 pounds of clothes after a charity store caught fire

A charity thrift store in Anniston, Ala., is breathing a little easier after a local laundromat helped wash, dry and fold 1,500 pound of smoke-damaged clothes after the shop caught fire in a possible arson.

After losing much of the store to fire and facing heavy smoke damage to the donated clothing, Community Enabler called Washin Oxford Coin Laundry in Oxford, Ala. and asked how much it would cost to clean about 1,500 pounds of soiled clothes.

The owner, Ken Barrett, decided that it wouldn’t cost the charity a dime. But he needed some help.

“We have the machines, soap, softener, bags, hangers and carts but what we don't have is the manpower to sort and fold 1,500 pounds of clothes,” he said in an announcement on the business Facebook page. “They do have some soot on them so sorting will be a bit of a dirty job. Even if you can just put the tokens in the machines and hit start we will have a spot for you.”

Barrett creates a sign-up sheet, and the volunteers came out Wednesday to tackle the sooty task. People came to sort colors, run the machines, fold the clothes and even just to put detergent in the washers.

At the end of the day, and 172 loads later, they had washed, dried, folded and bagged 1,782 pounds of clothes. Now the thrift store has a stock of freshly laundered merchandise for whenever they decide to reopen.

“Thanks to all of the great volunteers (and patient customers),” Barrett said.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 8:17 AM with the headline "This laundromat washed 1,500 pounds of clothes after a charity store caught fire."