A Worcester fire inspector is being lauded after his actions during a routine fire inspection saved a woman's life just a few weeks later.
After learning that the elderly woman often slept on her sun porch, Peter LaViolette recommended that she install a smoke alarm there. Although it's not required by code, the closest device was located 30 feet away.
“I didn’t feel good about it,” LaViolette told the Telegram & Gazette.
Five weeks later, the woman called the fire station to thank LaViolette for saving her life.
Early on Oct. 6, combustibles near the furnace ignited a one-alarm fire. The woman was sleeping on the sun porch directly over the fire area and the smoke alarm woke her up.
On Tuesday, Worcester Fire Chief Geoffrey Gardell honored LaViolette for his efforts. He has been with the department for 15 years, but became an inspector earlier this year.
“(LaViolette) is humble about it, but it’s not just coming from me,” Gardell told the newspaper. “The woman called to thank him. ... It is my pleasure to recognize that.”
