February 5, 2001

01-09-01

(KINGSTON, Kitsap County) -- A fire, reportedly sparked by a discarded cigarette, was stopped early Sunday morning before causing significant damage -- though firefighters believe the incident could have been far more serious.

North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were called to the single-story home on Ohio Avenue at 1:13am after 911 was called when a teenager discovered smoke and an orange glow coming from benearth the closed door of his bedroom. Arriving at the scene, firefighters found the fire confined to the room of origin and smoke filling it all the way to the floor. Flames had destroyed the 15 year-old boy's mattress and box spring, and were working their way up a wall. Crews were able to quickly stop the fire's progress with a small amount of water.

The boy told firefighters that he'd been smoking cigarettes in his bedroom earlier, and that he'd left the room -- closing the door behind him -- to join his mother and younger sister in the living room. The smell of smoke caused him to investigate; upon seeing the glow under the door, the teen wisely kept the door shut and warned his family. Firefighters credit the closed door with preventing more rapid fire spread by depriving the blaze of additional oxygen, but warn that the incident could have been far more serious.

"The majority of fire fatalities are smoking-related," says NKF&R Spokeswoman Michèle Laboda. "In this case, the home had no working smoke alarms. Without those vital early-warning devices, it's a good thing the teen and his family were awake to detect the fire."