Four escape from house fire near Lynnwood
Published 4:31 pm Saturday, August 22, 2009
LYNNWOOD – Four people early this morning escaped from a fire sparked in their home by a cigarette.
A couple and their two adult sons scrambled for safety after finding smoke in the hallway of their home in the 4400 block of 150th Street SW, Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said. The family called 911 about 6:20 a.m.
The woman awoke when she smelled smoke, Hynes said. She opened her bedroom door and saw that smoke filled the hallway. She woke her husband and two adult sons, and they got out safely.
Fire crews found flames shooting from the living room window and the front door, Hynes said. The back of the house was engulfed as well.
Firefighters knocked down the fire in about 20 minutes. Crews stayed at the house throughout the morning to mop up hot spots.
The family didn’t have renters insurance, Hynes said. Local Red Cross volunteers were helping them.
The house was a total loss. Damage was estimated at $380,000.
Investigators from the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was started by a cigarette.
“This really had the potential to be a fatal fire,” Hynes said.
The house had smoke alarms, but they didn’t sound. At least one was missing batteries.
Smoke alarms can save lives, but they need to be maintained and tested regularly, Hynes said. Batteries should be changed twice a year and all smoke alarms older than 10 years should be replaced.
“In this case, the family was lucky that someone woke up in time to alert them to the fire,” Hynes said.
Cigarettes and other smoking materials are the leading cause of fatal fires in the country, she said.
Smokers should make sure their cigarette is fully extinguished before discarding it, Hynes said. Consider smoking outside. If you smoke inside, use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table. Never smoke in bed or if you are sleepy.
Fire District 1 has funding to install free smoke alarms for people living in unincorporated south Snohomish County. For more information, visit the district’s Web site at www.firedistrict1.org.
