KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
December 22, 2017
From the Harris County ESD 48 Fire Department
Today fire crews responded to a residential fire on Chasestone Court in the Nottingham Country Subdivision in Katy.
Ladder 3 was first on scene and was able to contain the majority of the fire to a single room. Both residents made it out of the house safely however they were very concerned about their two cats that were known to be in the room involved in the fire.
Once the fire was out, fire crews began searching and a team from Westlake Volunteer Fire Department was able to locate Flash and reunite him with his owner. Engine 5 carries special pet rescue masks and Lt. Greg Monroe and FF/EMT Drew Shapiro administered oxygen to Flash who was later brought to an area vet and expected to make a full recovery.
Unfortunately, the second cat was found later but had succumbed to smoke inhalation and could not be resuscitated. One HCESD 48 Firefighter was injured during this incident and was transported with non-life threatening injuries to a local hospital.
Smoke alarms expire after 10 years
We spoke with the homeowners and they, like most Americans, were unaware that smoke alarms expire after 10 years and should be replaced. The young woman who smelled smoke and went upstairs to find a fire in the game room noted that no alarms were going off until after she had returned downstairs to alert her mother and was on her way back upstairs. This house, like so many in our District, had mostly original smoke alarms which were old enough that they did not even have an expiration date on the inside which is now required for all modern alarms. If you haven't checked the age of your alarms, please take a moment over the holiday long weekend to check them by removing the alarm from the wall or ceiling and looking for either a manufactures date or an expiration date.
Free Home Safety Survey
If you need help or would like to schedule a free Home Safety Survey which covers this an many other fire hazards and safety tips, please submit a request online at http://www.hcesd48.org/home-safety
Thank you to Westlake Volunteer Fire Department and Katy Fire Department for assisting on scene, Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department for taking a backfill assignment at Station 5, and Harris County Fire Marshal for investigating the fire.