STAFF REPORTS

Chino Hills – October is Fire Prevention Month, and Cal Fire reminds us that working smoke alarms save lives. That was certainly the case when a fire broke out in a two-story home on the 15000 block of Avenida Del Rio in Chino Hills.

The Chino Valley Fire District reports that they responded to a reported structure fire at approximately 3 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 14, and found smoke emanating from the second story. Firefighters made entry into the house and initiated an aggressive interior attack. The fire was quickly brought under control and contained to the area of origin with minimal fire extension to the attic. Two bedrooms sustained smoke damage.

The cause of the fire appears to be a candle left burning on a cabinet in an upstairs hallway. The owner was home at the time of the fire, and self-evacuated prior to firefighter arrival after being alerted to the fire by a working smoke alarm in the home. This incident might have had a very different outcome if the smoke alarm was not in proper working order.

The Chino Valley Fire District states that this type of fire can be prevented by following these safety rules:

• Always keep a burning candle within sight
• Never burn candles on or near anything that can catch fire
• Always keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets
• Never use candles as a source of heat
• Always use an appropriate candleholder and place it on a stable, heat-resistant surface
• Always extinguish all candles when leaving the house, room of use, or when going to bed
• Always ensure that you have smoke alarms correctly installed and that they are in good working order

Remember, having more than one properly placed smoke alarm can significantly increase your chance of surviving a fire. Be sure to test your smoke alarms regularly. For more information on fire safety and smoke alarms, visit www.chinovalleyfire.org.