LYNNWOOD — The sound of a smoke alarm awakened a couple early this morning. Their house was on fire.
The couple living at a split-level home in the 5200 block of 145th Street SW woke up to find smoke in the hall and flames on the back deck, Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said. They rushed to safety and called for help just before 1 a.m.
“This couple is safe because the smoke alarm did its job,” Hynes said. “A fire at this time of the morning when most people are asleep has the potential to be deadly in a home without a working smoke alarm.”
Fire crews found flames coming from the back of the house. It took about 20 minutes to get the fire under control.
The couple couldn’t stay at the house.
An investigator from the Snohomish County Fire marshal’s office determined the fire likely was started by a cigarette thrown in a flower box on the back deck, Hynes said. The flames extended to the wood siding and into the attic, severely damaging the roof and the upper floor. The loss is estimated at $100,000.
Smokers should be cautious and make sure cigarettes are completely out, Hynes said. Ashtrays should have a wide, stable base. “When you clean ashtrays, soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away,” she said.
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