A house fire in Mount Brydges earlier this month is serving as an important reminder about the life-saving importance of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
On November 1st, all three stations of the Strathroy-Caradoc Fire Department responded to a house fire on Adelaide Road. The blaze caused more than $500,000 in damage.
Fortunately, everyone inside the home was able to escape safely. However, investigators later discovered there were no working smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in the residence.
According to the fire department, the tenant was awakened after choking on smoke and managed to get out of the home.
Following an investigation, the property owner was charged under the Ontario Fire Code.
The incident is prompting the fire department to remind residents that working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms can make the difference between escaping a fire safely and suffering a much more serious outcome.
Residents are encouraged to test their alarms regularly, ensure their homes have the required number of smoke and CO alarms, and replace them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
It’s also important to make sure everyone in the household knows what to do when an alarm sounds and has a practiced home escape plan.
The fire department stresses that residents should take a few minutes today to make sure their alarms are working. It could save a life.
Written by: C. Soares