Smoke alarm alerts family before house fire destroys extension

A house fire on Wednesday morning left quantity surveyor Patricia Power “devastated” by the loss of her extension, but she said she is “grateful” that a smoke alarm saved her family.

Power was awakened at five a.m. by a smoke alarm in her home. Although the alarms sometimes sound without cause, she investigated and saw smoke and flames in the extension as she opened the kitchen door.

She and her husband quickly roused their children and called the fire brigade. Six fire engines arrived with about 50 firefighters, taking roughly 20 minutes to reach the scene.

Power praised the responders as “absolutely amazing”, noting their bravery and efficiency. While she described herself as “broken‑hearted” over the burnt extension, she emphasized her gratitude for the “little white box” that warned them in time.

Source: Newstalk. Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Pexels.