Family wakes to smoke-filled home (4 photos)

A 17-year-old boy put out an electric dryer fire on the main floor of a house on the 0-block of Burton Road Sunday Morning.

Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services received two 911 calls at around 1:15 a.m. saying the house was full of smoke and flames were visible said Platoon Chief Stan Martynuck.

When the fire department arrived an adult and three children were on the front lawn while a 17-year-old boy was inside the smoke-filled home.

By the time the fire department got there, the boy had put the fire out with a fire extinguisher and a garden hose said Martynuck.

Martynuck said Emergency Medical Services arrived, looked at the boy, and determined 'he was fine.'

There were no injuries reported at all in the incident.

The fire department carried the burnt electric dryer out of the home and onto the driveway, and then ventilated the building. 

Martynuck said the family had a working smoke alarm, which saved them.

"The fire prevention officer is not attending, there is nothing suspicious," said Martynuck. "This is prime example of a smoke alarm saving people from serious injury. They were first alerted by a functioning fire alarm and evacuated... they did everything they were supposed to do."

Martynuck said that had the boy not intervened the damage could have been worse and the fire may have spread so that fire fighters would have had to use a hose.

However, Martynuck said, in the event of a fire, people should probably just evacuate their home until trained professionals are on scene.

"It's always a judgment call," said Martynuck. "If you haven't been trained in firefighting... your first priority should be evacuating and staying outside."

The home suffered some smoke damage, particularly to the walls of the laundry room, however it was turned over to the family afterwards.

Martynuck reminded that its mandatory for homeowners to have working smoke alarms on every level and working carbon monoxide alarms outside all sleeping areas.