ATTLEBORO -- A dryer at the Soap-n-Suds Laundromat downtown caught fire Tuesday night, sending flames into insulation behind the walls and up into the roof deck.

The fire at 17 Bank St. filled the coin laundry with smoke and sent smoke spilling into the adjoining Schofield Hardware at 13 Bank St.

Ray Stack, owner of the hardware store, said he discovered the fire about 8:15 p.m., when he returned to the store to retrieve tax records and smelled the smoke.

Deputy Fire Chief Erik Guillette said that by the time fire crews arrived, flames had spread into the building's insulation and partially into the roof deck.

Because the side of the building is made of brick, the fire would have continued upwards, had it not been detected by Stack, he said. `` It's lucky that he was here,'' Guillette said. `` By the time somebody noticed it, it would have burned through the roof.''

The laundry was closed at the time.

Stack said he followed the smell into the laundry and ultimately to a dryer on a far wall.

Smoke billowed from the dryer when he opened it, and quickly filled the laundry.

`` You couldn't see your hand in front of your face,'' Stack said.

With the end of Bank Street blocked off to traffic, fire crews worked to extinguish the fire and to suction out dense smoke in both stores using high-powered fans.

Laundry owner Keith Surkont estimated damage to be about $2,000, and said he plans to reopen soon.

`` We've got to get a good look, but from what they said, it shouldn't be too long,'' he said.

Stack said there was no damage to the hardware store, and he planned to reopen today.

Fire crews are still trying to figure out how the blaze began. Surkont left towels in the dryer about 6:30 p.m., but the dryer was off.