SnohomishTimes.com

Alarm Alerts Homeowner to Attic Fire

Friday, August 30, 2013
Alarm Alerts Homeowner to Attic Fire

Just after 10:00 p.m. on August 29 Snohomish County Fire District 7 responded to a report of an attic fire in the 2400 block of 182nd Place SE just south of Mill Creek in unincorporated Snohomish County. The homeowner heard an upstairs smoke alarm sounding and quickly evacuated and called 911.

Crews arrived to find smoke coming from the eaves of the home. They quickly made access to the attic and knocked down the fire. They thoroughly searched the rest of the home to ensure the fire hadn’t spread through any of the ducting.

There were no injuries and two cats made it out of the home safely. The homeowners planned to stay with family until the damage could be evaluated.

More than 20 firefighters responded. The Snohomish County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

This serves as an excellent example of how smoke alarms can save lives. Had the homeowner not had working smoke alarms the result of this fire could have been devastating. Fire District 7 would like to remind everyone to follow these recommendations:

Replace batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year. If an alarm “chirps”, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly.Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.Smoke rises; install smoke alarms following manufacturer's instructions high on a wall or on a ceiling. Save manufacturer's instructions for testing and maintenance.

Be sure the smoke alarm has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.