Our Views: Stay out of burning home

When people escape from a burning building, they should stay outside, according to fire department officials.

Last week's house fire in Tumwater could have turned out much worse. According to reports, a 14-year-old boy was alerted that his home was on fire. The boy ran outside, realized family pets were still inside, and went back into the home to rescue them. He found one cat upstairs and grabbed the dog from the back yard before dashing to safety.

Frank Spickelmire, battalion chief for the Olympia Fire Department, said, "Once they are out, people should stay outside. Oftentimes animals sense smoke and hide. They are hard to find. And a person searching for a pet may not be aware that the circumstance surrounding them has changed."

Besides, Spickelmire said, products used in homes and offices today are very different than contents 30 or 40 years ago. "Plastics, other petroleum-based products and manmade fabrics burn quicker and the byproducts can be toxic. People don't realize that it doesn't take more than a couple of lungsfull to immobilize them."

Spicklemire's advice: Get out quickly, have an arranged family meeting place and stay out.

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The Olympian Copyright 2002

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