This just happened while during a fit of manic energy, i decided to try and pull the lint from deep within the dryer as we have been needing two cycles to get clothes dry. So i dove onto youtube to find out how to pop the drum open. I found the specific video for my dryer and skipped ahead to snapping the top open, skipping the safety cautions of course. I decided to open the top with a flathead screwdriver with a rubber handle, got under it and unlatched the springs holding the lid down, and indeed there was hair jam packed all around the drum, it looked like an Italian barbers floor! I went to scoop some of the hair out with the screwdriver and i shorted something with the shaft of the driver. I immediately pull back as some sparks burst out of the wires........and landing onto the hair that was by it. A small burst of flame ignited and i was lucky enough to catch it in time and blow it out before it was able to gain traction and burn the rest of the hair inside. My hearts beating fast and im sitting in the laundry room with a fire extinguisher just in case theres some stray ember gathering heat in there.
TL;DR - Tried to pull hair from a dryer with a metal screwdriver, shorted a wire, almost catching the entire hair packed dryer on fire.
raulshawn t1_j9i9eld wrote
Did you not turn off the breaker before managing such a high voltage appliance?