MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer delivered a powerful fire safety message during the June 9 meeting of the Somerton Civic Association, but it tragically did not arrive soon enough to one neighborhood family.
Three days after the meeting, a morning blaze in an Avon Street home claimed the life of a 45-year-old woman and injured her 76-year-old mother critically. In comments to the news media at the fire scene, Sawyer said that two key factors may have contributed to the human injury and loss of life: there were no operable smoke alarms in the house and the victims may have been delayed in escaping as they attempted to extinguish the flames.
During the civic meeting, Sawyer emphasized two major fire safety points: make sure your house has working smoke alarms and make sure your family has an escape plan.
“If the smoke alarm goes off and you don’t have an escape plan, that could be a problem,” Sawyer said.
Homes should have a smoke alarm installed in each floor, including the basement. Conventional batteries should be checked regularly and replaced every six months. An easy way to remember that is to change the batteries when you change your clocks one hour in the spring and fall.
The fire department offers free smoke alarms and installation to city residents who cannot afford to buy them. The units have 10-year lithium batteries that don’t need to be changed twice a year. Call 311 to request them.
Sawyer further advised the Somerton group on grill and kitchen safety. Grills should be kept at least three to five feet from all buildings when lit. Children and pets should be kept at least three feet away. Grills should be placed on a flat, stable surface. Propane tanks should be stored outdoors. A garage lacks the ventilation for safe storage of propane. Tanks should be equipped with safety valves. All hose and valve connections should be tight. Users can wipe soapy water on the fittings to improve the seal.
If a fire breaks out on the kitchen stove, turn off the stove and place a lid over the pan or pot. Always keep a lid nearby when cooking on the stove. With the flames out, let the pan or pot cool before touching it. Never use flour or baking soda on a fire, because it may not work and will delay your escape.
If you have a fire extinguisher handy, make sure you read and understand the manufacturer’s directions before you have an emergency. Most extinguishers are designed for small fires, so if the flames have spread, don’t bother fighting them. Just get out of the house and call 911.
If a fire is still small and you have a clear escape route, aim the extinguisher at the origin of the flames and use the entire contents of the device, making sure that the flames can’t re-ignite.
If burned, apply lukewarm water to the wound and seek medical treatment immediately. Do not apply cold water, ice, butter or other “home remedies” to a burn.
Perhaps the most important kitchen safety tip is that an adult should always monitor cooking. Do not leave cooking unattended, Sawyer said.
Friday’s fire occurred inside a twin home on the 600 block of Avon St. Firefighters were called to the scene at about 7:30 a.m. They found the 76-year-old woman on the first floor. She had been burned and was taken to Aria Health’s Torresdale Campus. The older woman’s husband had escaped on his own and was not injured seriously.
Firefighters declared the blaze under control at 7:47 a.m. They later found the daughter’s body in a second-floor bathroom. She was the city’s seventh fire fatality of the year. The fire department did not release the names of the victims. ••
MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
Tragic inferno: A 45-year-old woman died and her 76-year-old mother was critically injured in a June 12 fire on the 600 block of Avon Street in Somerton. The house had no functioning smoke detectors. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMESÂ PHOTO
