Fire officials are stressing the importance of working smoke alarms after a blaze at a triplex in the Argyle area.
Residents were awakened by an EMS crew who happened to be on Wavell Street, east of Clarke Road, and spotted the blaze at around 4:15 a.m. Friday.
“Emergency officials started banging on everyone’s doors, and got us all out,” said Shannon Millar, 31, who lives in the multi-unit dwelling with her 21-month, and 4-year-old child.
Another family lives in the home with three older kids, believed to be 11, 13, and 17. At least one other family resides in the unit as well.
Everyone made it out safely, and no firefighters were injured either.
Fire inspector Frank Galera tells AM980 that while some of the units had working smoke alarms, the unit that was most affected by the fire, did not.
“A $235 fine is an option, however, more importantly is the fact that peoples’ lives are at risk when there are no working smoke alarms.”
Galera adds that the fire appears to be electrical in nature. It began in a shed and spread to an SUV and then the triplex.
“The fire did start in an adjacent shed that was installed immediately to the east of the building. The shed itself had a number of items in there including used motor oil, et cetera, that fed the fire. It then migrated into the home where people were sleeping.”
Damage is estimated at $60,000 and one of the units has been deemed uninhabitable.
Source: Fire At Wavell St. Triplex Leaves One Unit Uninhabitable | (CFPL AM) AM 980
