Virginia Couple Tackles Flames, Then Calls 911

PRINCE GEORGE, Va. -- A couple tried to take measures into their own hands when their bedroom curtains caught fire Wednesday night, officials said.

The male resident rushed to grab a garden hose after the smoke alarm activated, alerting them to the growing blaze, said interim Fire and EMS Director Brad Owens. When that did not seem to work, the couple called 9-1-1.

"By the time our guys got there, almost half the house was already taken over by fire," Owens said.

The home, located in the 4300 block of Fox Hill Place, eventually succumbed to the blaze. It took emergency responders an hour to bring the fire under control, Owens said. It was a team effort that required the help of every unit in the county.

"Every station in Prince George was involved in that fire," Owens said.

Owens said that the home's location complicated the situation. The nearest fire hydrant was more than a mile away from the scene, which required the responders to haul in water tankers.

The couple escaped from the home unharmed, but they do not have a home to come back to. The structure was thoroughly gutted.

Owens said that they were staying with nearby relatives. He also said that things could have ended differently.

"The big thing is the smoke alarm. That gave them a head's up," he said. The male resident had changed out the smoke alarm batteries within a week of the fire.

Owens said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but appears to be accidental.

Prince George County residents are eligible for free home safety assessments from Fire and EMS personnel. Some free smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are also available for county residents. Call 804-722-8614 to schedule a home visit.

"It's important to have someone come out and take a look because they could find things that you might not notice," Owens said.

Copyright 2012 - The Progress-Index, Petersburg, Va.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service