Children Escape Fire Safely

Three children escaped without injury from a house fire this afternoon on Madison’s eastside.  The fire started in a bedroom after two of the children were playing with a lighter.
 
Firefighters were sent to the home at 4714 Camden Road at 1:44 pm.  Engine 4 arrived on scene and reported black smoke coming from windows in the rear corner of the home.  As they entered the house they encountered some light smoke and heard a smoke alarm sounding.  When they opened the bedroom door hot, black smoke came rushing out.  Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire using an aggressive interior fire attack.
 
Fire crews ventilated smoke from the house and checked for fire extension into the walls and ceiling.
 
The fire caused approximately $25,000 damage to the house.  One of the children closed the bedroom door before evacuating the home.  This kept the fire from spreading to other parts of the home, limiting the flame and heat damage to the bedroom.  Smoke damage was noted throughout the house.
 
 
 
 
Smoke alarms save lives.  Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.  When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out.
 
Make sure your home is safe for you and your family by following these safety tips:
 

• Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, in each bedroom, and outside each bedroom.
• Test your smoke alarms every month.
• Make an escape plan and have a fire drill to practice your plan.
• When the alarm sounds, get out and stay out.
• After you have escaped, call 9-1-1 from a safe place.
• Never go back inside the building for any reason.