A working smoke alarm alerted a Los Osos resident to an overnight fire early Wednesday, allowing her and her son to safely escape the home, according to CAL FIRE.
The fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m. in the 2100 block of Humboldt Street.
Eva Grady, a public information officer with CAL FIRE, said crews received a report of a room on fire. Grady said the resident woke up after hearing a smoke alarm and discovered her son’s room was filled with smoke.
The woman’s son had been sleeping on a couch and was not injured. Both were able to safely get out of the home, Grady said, but two cats reportedly died in the fire.
Jennifer Cole, a neighbor who witnessed the fire, said the homeowner told her the smoke alarm was what first alerted her to the fire.
Crews had water on the fire within nine minutes of the initial dispatch, helping keep the fire mostly contained to one room, according to Grady.
Grady said working smoke alarms can alert people to a fire while they are sleeping, giving them time to get out and allowing firefighters to respond faster.
With daylight saving time ending Nov. 1, Grady said it is also a good time for residents to test their smoke alarms and replace batteries if needed. She recommends regularly checking smoke alarms and following the manufacturer’s instructions for battery replacement.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
