Smoke detector saves Ancaster woman

A sleeping  woman got out of her burning condo safely early today because she was awakened by a smoke detector.

Sound asleep when the fire began shortly before 1 a.m., the owner of the Harrowgate Drive townhouse got downstairs and out of the building before smoke and flames reached her second floor bedroom and ran next door to call 911.

The basement of the townhouse was in flames and fire was heading into the first and second floors when fire crews arrived on Harrowgate, south of Golf Links Road west of Stone Church Road West

The blaze was quickly knocked down before it could damage adjoining units.

Two firefighters who had to pop a second floor window when their air bottles ran out were checked over by paramedics when the reached the bottom of a ladder. Then they rejoined the fight.

Hamilton’s Chief Fire Prevention Officer Jim Winn said the cause of the blaze has not been determined, but damage to the condo unit is estimated at $100,000 –  $70,000 to the structure and $30,000 to the contents. The  homeowner has fire insurance. 

The owner was the only occupant of the unit. Winn said there were no injuries.

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[Sunil Bechar]

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