Mobile Home Fire Smoke Detector Saves Six

Pollock Pines, CA - Smoke detector saves four adults, two children, and three dogs. One person was burned by the fire and was transported to Marshall Hospital in Placerville. The fire was contained to one bed room. A 65 year male attempted to light a cigarette while on home oxygen, when the fire "blew up" in his face. The nasal cannula he was wearing fell to the floor on fire, igniting surrounding papers and a dresser in the rear bed room of the single wide mobile home. The male, John Harlan, attempted to put out the fire using a cup of water and his hands without success. Mr. Harlan received burns to his hands and face. He was treated by firefighter/Paramedics at the scene and transported to Marshall Hospital. While Mr. Harlan was attempting to extinguish the fire, the home's smoke detector activated and alerted the other five occupants who were a sleep in the front of the trailer.

The mobile home was located across the street from El Dorado County Fire District Station #17. Units arrived within minutes of the 911 call. E17 and M17 found heavy smoke coming from the rear of the trailer and from the front door. The occupants were still exiting the trailer. Virginia "Dolly" Harlan, who was confined to a wheel chair, was on the front porch, unable to get down the stairs. Firefighters were able to safety move Mrs. Harlan to the front yard, while other firefighters entered the trailer to extinguish the fire. One of the occupants, Terry Lane, had used a garden hose through a rear door to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the rear bed room. Firefighters found the fire in and around the dresser and quickly extinguished the remaining fire. Mr. Lane, Mrs. Harlan, and the other occupants, Jacy Harlan, her two children, 8 year old James and 2 year old Faith, and family's three dogs were all uninjured and got out of the home safely because of the working smoke detector.

There are two important points to be learned:
1. Working smoke detectors save lives.
2. Do not smoke while using oxygen. If you must smoke, remove your oxygen cannula/mask and smoke out side. The inside of your home could be oxygen enriched and cause the fire to burn more vigorously.