Staff Writer
CASTLE HILL – A smoke detector is being credited with saving a local family and their home early Friday morning.
The Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman Fire Department responded a 7:25 a.m. report of smoke in the cellar of Russell and Gail Woodman’s home Jan. 4. “When the fire department arrived at the home located at 3,300 State Rd., the fire had been extinguished by the owner,” said Fire Chief Rich Wark.
According to Wark, Woodman told fire officials that the family had been alerted by a smoke detector and then heard the fire crackling in the cellar.
“While his wife called 9-1-1, Mr. Woodman went down to the cellar to investigate. He was able to extinguish the fire using a bucket and drawing water off his boiler,” explained Wark.
The fire was contained to some boxes of items stored closed to the wood stove. Damage was limited to the boxes and a few other items close by, said Wark.
“The fire had started to get to the first-floor level and charred the wall and melted some cable wire attached to the stringers,” the chief said.
Officials credited the working smoke detector for preventing what could have been a far more serious situation.
“We’d like to remind everyone to check their smoke detectors monthly. Had the detector not alerted the owners to the fire, the outcome would have been much worse. The owners’ quick response to the detector and quick call to 9-1-1 helped determine the outcome,” said Wark.
Considering the residence is located at the end of the fire department’s response area in Castle Hill, extreme cold temperatures were affecting the area at the time – with the temperature reported around -20 degrees – and water supply could have been an issue, these elements could have combined to create a far worse scenario, had the fire not been extinguished early thanks to the owners’ being alerted by the smoke detector, said Wark. In all, 12 firefighters and three trucks responded to the call. The fire department remained on the scene for 15 minutes checking the fire area and gathering information from the owners.
