A fire can break out anytime, anywhere. Or it can be one accident or oversight away from happening. Bill Cane lives in an 1850s house in Titusville that from all outward appearances looks strong enough to survive another century or two. When Cane went to have work done on his chimney, he discovered, to his surprise, it did not have a flue. The fact that it escaped the notice of Cane, director of the state Division of Fire Safety and a volunteer firefighter, can serve as a valuable lesson to all homeowners.
Smoke detectors remain the most inexpensive home fire-safety measure.
In too many households, however, smoke detectors are either missing or inoperative, according to firefighters and state officials. The house had two smoke detectors, but neither had batteries. Nationwide, eight of 10 fire deaths occur in the home. Carbon monoxide detectors are readily available in stores. The blinds could be plastic.