Early detection of smoke in an apartment building is credited on smoke alarms.
Cobourg Fire Department were called to an apartment building at 47 Munroe Street to automatic alarms at 5:20 p.m.
Acting Captain Rick Martin said firefighters were directed to the sixth floor where a smoke alarm was sounding inside an apartment.
Firefighters were told an elderly man lived inside the apartment and firefighters had to break down the door to gain access.
The man was found lying on the floor of the apartment with a pot on the stove smouldering.
It was determined the man had fallen and couldn’t get up while cooking supper, which started to burn.
As a tenant was walking down the hallway, the person could hear the smoke alarm going off inside the apartment.
After calling 9-1-1 the dispatcher told him to pull the fire alarm to alert other members of the apartment building.
Martin said there was no actual fire inside the apartment, but there was a haze throughout.
The man was taken to hospital by Northumberland County Paramedics.
“It’s the perfect example how important it is to have working smoke alarms in your residence,” said Martin.
“He was lucky. It could have ended up much worse.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
