Fire Marshal James Dellamonica said two recent fires
– one on Christmas Eve and one at 1 a.m. Friday morning – could
have been prevented if the victims had replaced the batteries in
their smoke detectors. He stressed that it is a
”
prime example
”
why it’s important to check and maintain smoke detectors.
HOLLISTER
Fire Marshal James Dellamonica said two recent fires – one on Christmas Eve and one at 1 a.m. Friday morning – could have been prevented if the victims had replaced the batteries in their smoke detectors.
“This is the 21st century,” said Dellamonica. “These could easily have been fatalities, and we have seen far too many deaths that could have been prevented by a $1.99 battery.”
The two fires did not result in any injuries or fatalities, and the mobile homes were safely evacuated in both cases. But both blazes presented great danger to the inhabitants.
The first began at 4:36 a.m. when the San Benito County Fire Department, Calfire of Hollister and Calfire of Santa Clara County responded to an active structure fire on the 8000 block of Lovers Lane. The responding agencies reported that the fire originated in the rear bedroom of a double-wide modular home. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze to the furnace from which it had originated, located between the rear bedroom and rear bathroom, according to a press release issued by Calfire.
Seven residents occupied the trailer at the time of the fire – all were safely evacuated.
The press release goes on to state that:
“The residents of the home were very lucky that one of the individuals in the home awoke to the smell of the smoke and alerted the others. The home did contain smoke detectors, but the batteries were missing.”
Dellamonica stressed that it is a “prime example” why it’s important to check and maintain smoke detectors.
The fire was determined to have been caused by a mechanical problem in the furnace by Calfire Division Chief Curt Itson.
The second fire was around 1 a.m. Friday in another mobile home on the 400 block of McClosky Road and, according to Dellamonica, was determined to have originated from a barbecue briquette that fell onto a deck.
“One or two of the briquette’s got down between the deck and wall,” said Dellamonica, and the fire went through a cable line hole in the wall.”
There were two occupants sleeping in the trailer who owe their lives to alert neighbors, according to the fire marshal.
“The neighbor, Rick Mendez, got up in the middle of the night to check on his children, happened to look out the window, and saw the deck was on fire.”
According to Dellamonica, the man yelled to his wife, Michelle Mendez, to call 911, then raced outside and began spraying the fire with a garden hose. He was soon joined by his wife, who began pounding on the trailer to awaken the inhabitants.
“I have no reservations in telling you that had it not been for the neighbors,” Dellamonica said, “the two occupants of that building would not be with us today.”
Dellamonica went on to note that the residents were safely evacuated and, despite extensive structural damage to their home, they will start the new year without injury. He stressed the importance of maintaining functioning smoke detectors in a home.
“In this residence also, there was a smoke detector present with a dead battery. If it had been operational, it would have awoken them.
“The majority of the time,” explained the fire marshal, “people never feel the fire. It’s the smoke and gases that get them. The person is dead before the fire ever reaches them.
To avoid the problem of smoke detectors with dead batteries, Dellamonica has some advice.
“For Christmas, give your family nine-volt batteries and tell them it is for their smoke detectors.”
