Press releases

Smoke detector, Edina Fire Department save life

Edina, Minn., Oct. 3, 2006 – A working smoke alarm and the quick actions of the Edina Fire Department saved a housing complex and possibly the life of one woman sleeping inside her townhouse in the 6000 block of Lake Ridge Road.

At 9:30 a.m. Oct. 2, the Edina Fire Department rushed to a burning housing complex. Crews had to break windows to control the fire and cut a hole in the ceiling to determine if the fire had spread into the attic. Crews were able to control much of the fire by bringing one hose into the living space. The living room and contents of the room suffered smoke and fire damage. Roughly 1,200 square feet was damaged by the fire.

The resident who reported the fire was sleeping in a bedroom with the door closed. The resident awoke to her smoke alarm sounding and, when the bedroom door was opened, was confronted with a wall of thick, black smoke. The temperature of the living room was so high that a number of appliances, including the television, melted.

The fire is believed to have been caused by an unattended candle. Two kittens were reported to be living in the home. One perished on site; the other was taken away by the Animal Control Officer. Its condition is unknown.

For more information, contact Fire Marshal Tom Jenson, 952-826-0337, or visit www.CityofEdina.com/fire.