Smoke detector wakes occupants, allows them to evacuate fire safely

Press release from Gainesville Fire Rescue

At approximately 1:15 a.m. this morning, Gainesville Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to a two-story residential house fire at 3725 NW 22rd Terrace. Firefighters reported finding smoke coming from the attic, with fire on the exterior of the house. The first arriving unit arrived on scene in under 5 minutes.    

Sixteen Fire Fighters responded to the scene and were able to gain control and ultimately extinguish the fire. The residents will be temporarily displaced due to smoke and fire damage. This fire is currently under investigation to determine the origin and cause.  

The residents reported waking up to the sound of their smoke detector, allowing them to evacuate their home safely. Gainesville Fire Rescue encourages all Gainesville neighbors to check that they have working smoke detectors in their home. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, the risk of fatality in a reported home structure fire decreases by 55% when there is a working smoke detector.