In a life threatening emergency dial Triple Zero (000)
Storm and Flood Assistance
[media-alert type="image" id=29693]Yesterday, a potentially catastrophic incident was avoided thanks to a working smoke alarm and one neighbour's quick thinking.
At approximately 4pm on Thursday afternoon, ACT Fire & Rescue responded to an Emergency Triple Zero (E000) call from a neighbour reporting that a smoke alarm had activated in the house next door.
Firefighters arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming from the house. Looking through the windows, the crew identified a person unconscious on the floor and immediately forced entry.
Paramedics assessed and treated the patient on scene before transporting them to the Canberra Hospital in a stable condition.
"We quickly contained the fire to the point of origin in the kitchen, and had it extinguished within minutes." ACT Fire & Rescue South Commander Danny Brighenti said.
"If the smoke alarm had not activated - there would have been a significant delay in alerting emergency services, dramatically increasing the risk of catastrophic consequences."
"This incident is a timely reminder that working smoke alarms save lives." Commander Brighenti concluded.
