Interconnected smoke detectors help family escape house fire sparked by candle

posted on: 12/28/2020

Dover Fire and Rescue credits interconnected smoke detectors for helping an Atina Way family escape a house fire early Sunday morning.

Firefighters were called to a structure fire at a residential home on Atina Way at 1:50 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. According to the 911 call, the fire was reported to be in a third-floor bedroom, with flames visible from outside the home.

The first fire crews on scene saw smoke coming from a third-floor window and the surrounding roofline. They quickly stretched a hose line up two flights of stairs to reach the bedroom. Because of the heavy smoke on the third floor, thermal imaging cameras were used to locate the fire.

The fire was quickly extinguished and contained to one room. In addition to the fire damage in the room, there was additional smoke and water damage in other portions of the home.

Fire Chief Paul Haas said interconnected smoke detectors were able to alert the four residents, all of whom were asleep when the fire started.

“A fire that starts at two in the morning will absolutely get enough of a head start to trap sleeping occupants on upper floors,” Haas said. “Smoke detectors will literally make a life-or-death difference in these types of fires.”

Although the fire is still under investigation, it is believed to have been sparked by a novelty candle in the room of origin.

“There are two lessons to be learned here,” Haas said. “One is the importance of having working, interconnected smoke detectors in your home or apartment. The other is that improper use of candles continues to be a cause of house fires across the country. The majority of fires started by candles occur in bedrooms, the majority occur in December and smoke detectors save lives. We’d rather just be aware of these facts, and not have to see them to believe them.”

Haas credited the homeowners for quickly exiting the house and calling 911, and the skilled response of Dover firefighters, who quickly located and extinguished the third-floor fire, preventing further damage to the residence.

Dover Fire and Rescue was assisted on scene by the Somersworth and Durham fire departments, with station coverage provided by off-duty Dover personnel, the Newington, Rollinsford, Rochester, and Berwick, Maine fire departments, and McGregor Memorial EMS.