Smoke detectors could have prevented fires

November 8, 2005

MARY AMES\Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - Central Mat-Su Fire Department recently extinguished two home fires that had one unfortunate thing in common.

&#8220Neither one had a working smoke detector,” said the department's chief, Jack Krill Jr., on Monday. &#8220An operating smoke detector is a simple way to save lives.”

The first fire occurred at a mobile home at 2950 Singing Woods, according to Michael Keenan, assistant chief for Central Mat-Su.

A call about the blaze came in at about noon last Thursday, Keenan said.

The home owner had just filled a kerosene space heater and some fuel spilled, he said. When the heater was lit again, the spilled fuel ignited.

The owner managed to pull the heater out of the house - which Keenan described as two mobile homes connected together - but burned his hand in the process.

The mobile homes received minor damage and the fire was mostly just smoldering when firefighters arrived, Keenan said.

A second fire the following day destroyed a home at 8410 West Angel in Meadow Lakes, Keenan said.

The call came in about 8 a.m. The fire was under control by about 9:30 and completely out by about noon.

According to Keenan, the home owner woke up to find her bed on fire, but was able to escape with no injury other than singed hair.

A man who was asleep on the couch also got out safely, Keenan said, but a cat died in the fire.

Firefighters believe an electric space heater was too close to the bed and ignited the blankets, Keenan said.

Meadow Lakes, Big Lake, Houston and Willow fire departments assisted Central Mat-Su on the fire, with about 20 people working to put it out, according to Keenan.

In addition to people having working smoke detectors, Keenan had a couple of reminders on their use.

€ Move the alarm farther from the kitchen if it sounds whenever cooking takes place, Keenan said, or buy a smoke detector with a silencer that turns on again automatically after about 15 minutes.

€ Fresh batteries should be installed in the detectors every six months, he said. Don't use rechargeable batteries, Keenan said.