New York State Mother Dies In House Blaze

SOMERS - Fire officials are questioning Monday whether or not a Somers home that was the scene of a deadly fire Saturday had any smoke detectors. Susan Smith, the mother of 12-year-old twins, died in the fire. The kids and her husband escaped safely. Now, Somers fire chief Scot Ruxton says there may not have been any smoke alarms in the home.

Although smoke detectors are required, some older homes do not have them and occasionally battery operated detectors run out of power. Steven Levine, who owns Midway Hardware in Yorktown, says smoke detectors are an inexpensive insurance that start at $6.99.

While a family mourns, Chief Ruxton says there's no way to guarantee a smoke alarm would have led to a different outcome. But he points out, the quicker a fire is discovered, the better the chances are for getting out alive.