Smoke Alarms Help Residents Avoid Injuries During Apartment Fire

"Working smoke detectors alerted the occupants to the fire, and we extinguished the fire with minimal damage to the building" -

Photo and video by Jerry Freeman Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Quick thinking residents at a NE Salem apartment complex that caught fire Sunday morning, safely evacuated the building after being alerted by working smoke alarms, the one thing that fire officials say will save your life in the event of a fire.

Cord Vonderahe, Battalion Chief with Salem Fire, says crews rolled to the scene at 1:15 a.m. Sunday. The four-unit apartment complex had been evacuated by the time of their arrival.

Crews quickly went to work extinguishing the exterior fire which Vonderahe says, had extended to the second floor.

He says no residents will be displaced as a result of the fire.

"Working smoke detectors alerted the occupants to the fire, and we extinguished the fire with minimal damage to the building."

Fire crews mopped up the scene and at this point a cause has not been identified.

Vonderahe says he hopes others take a lesson away from this. Smoke detectors are cheap and easy to install and use, and if you don't have one, the Salem Fire Department just might be able to help you out.

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Jerry Freeman is part of a new generation of dedicated news photographers who are entering the Internet news industry as a second career. He shares in common with many people the dream of becoming a visual journalist. Joining the Navy at an early age, and the Oregon Army Guard a few years later, Jerry has a wide range of life experiences. He describes himself as “an old truck driver with a new found passion to bare witness on the world’s events.” Teaming up with Salem-News.com he embarks on a new career as a video news photographer and reporter. Stay tuned, and see how it turns out. Jerry seems to exhibit natural talent and is already becoming a published member of the Salem-News.com team. You can send Jerry Freeman an email at this address: Salem-News@gravityshadow.com

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Fire | Salem | Oregon | Safety | Safety-tips |

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