Local advocates want the community to take notice before a fire costs someone their life. Especially after the Rock Island Fire Department battled a house fire in the 1600 block of 14th Street, which threatened a neighboring home. Crews arrived to find a hoarding situation inside the home, which officials said made fighting the fire difficult.
The fire was contained, and no one was injured. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Anabel Monge, Development Communications Manager with the American Red Cross Illinois Region, did not address the hoarding situation specifically; however, she says making your home accessible is key. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced families, and they say having easy access for fire crews to fight a fire in your home could be the difference between life and death.
“Make sure that doorways and exit areas are clear of clutter of things that can possibly make a difference when you’re trying to escape in two minutes because we know that we have two minutes to exit safely when a fire occurs in our home. So getting out quick and making sure there’s no clutter—that’s the key,” Monge said.
KWQC-TV NBC 6 Davenport
