NORMAL (25News Now) – A cat was revived and the occupant of an apartment was able to evacuate after a cooking fire early Thursday morning in Normal.
The Normal Fire Department says a skillet of oil on a stove ignited just before 3 a.m. and “set the kitchen ablaze” in an apartment in the 400 block of West Vernon Avenue.
Smoke alarms alerted the occupant who escaped and called 9-1-1.
A cat was found in the lower-level apartment unconscious and without signs of life. The cat was revived after firefighters used a pet oxygen mask and compressions.
The fire was brought under control in around 15 minutes. Firefighters spent around another hour checking for hotspots and ventilating smoke from the apartment and the apartment above.
No one else was injured. The cat was left in the care of its owner.
“This is a prime example of smoke alarms waking up the occupant and giving them enough time to escape,” said public information officer Matt Swaney. “With heavy smoke from a growing fire in the apartment, we were minutes away from a different outcome had the alarms not sounded. Obviously, the toxic smoke was enough to cause the near-death of a pet, so if the smoke alarms had not worked, the tenant may have been overcome by the smoke which could have lead to a deadly outcome.”
The occupant from the apartment where the fire started is displaced. Young America Realty is working with the occupant on alternative living arrangements. The occupant has renters insurance.
“We can’t stress this enough – working smoke alarms save lives,” said Fire Chief Mick Humer. “Please test your smoke alarms, and make sure they work.”
The fire departments reminds those to always stay in the kitchen when cooking and always sleep with the bedroom door closed to stop the spread of smoke when sleeping.
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Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.