Santa Ana – A family woke up after they heard the crackling sound of fire shortly before 1:00 a.m., according to the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA).
What the family saw was a well-established fire that was quickly spreading into their single story home. Fortunately, the family of four were able to escape, along with their dog, safely.
As fire crews quickly responded, the OCFA Emergency Command Center updated them with pre-arrival information.
Truck 75 was first in and reported heavy smoke showing from the rear of the home. They initiated an attack on the blaze while confirming everyone was out.
The firefighters were able to get the fire knocked down in about 20 minutes – preventing it from spreading to another home next door.
One person was treated by firefighter paramedics for a minor injury that was not related to the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Assistance was provided by the Santa Ana Police Department.
If you missed it during Daylight Saving Time, check your smoke alarms and make sure they’re working and they have fresh batteries.
How Often Do Home Fires Occur in the U.S.?
- U.S. fire departments respond to about 344,000–358,000 residential fires annually. These fires cause roughly 2,600–2,900 deaths, 10,000–15,000 injuries, and billions in property damage each year.
- That means a home fire happens every 88–95 seconds somewhere in the country.
Smoke Alarm Failures Due to Battery Issues
- Dead or missing batteries are the leading cause of smoke alarm failure:
- Dead batteries account for about 24–25% of smoke alarm failures.
- Missing or disconnected batteries cause around 50% of failures.
- Battery-only alarms operate about 77–85% of the time, compared to 94% for hardwired alarms.
- Nearly two-thirds of fatal injuries in homes with smoke alarms occur in properties with battery-only alarms, highlighting the risk when batteries fail.
Why This Matters
- Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by about 50–60%.
- If every home had a functioning smoke alarm, up to 1,100 lives could be saved annually.