A man was hospitalized Tuesday morning after a fire tore through a house on Cleveland's East Side, leaving him with burns and smoke inhalation. Firefighters said he was in stable condition following the blaze, which caused an estimated $150,000 in damage to the home.
Cleveland firefighters were called to the 19600 block of Chickasaw Avenue around 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to cleveland19.com. The fire started on the first floor and spread to the second floor before crews got it under control, and the victim was transported to a local hospital with smoke inhalation and burns.
Firefighters told the outlet he was in stable condition, though the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. The source of the $150,000 damage estimate wasn't broken down further, and it's not yet clear how the blaze started or spread as quickly as it did.
No Working Smoke Alarms Found Inside
According to WKYC, the Cleveland Division of Fire reported there were no working smoke alarms in the house. That detail stands out given the agency's own role in trying to get working alarms into homes across the city through a partnership with the American Red Cross.
The Cleveland Division of Fire participates in the American Red Cross's Operation Save-A-Life program, which provides free smoke alarms, batteries and installation, per the city's fire prevention and safety page.
Free Smoke Alarms Available Across the Region
The timing lines up with a broader regional push. The American Red Cross is currently offering free smoke alarm installations to residents of Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, as reported by cleveland.com. Residents can request an installation by visiting redcross.org/local/ohio/nor or by calling 216-361-5535.
The need is significant: in Northern Ohio, the Red Cross says it responds to an average of three home fires every day. The organization is partnering with local fire departments and community groups to install alarms in neighborhoods with high numbers of home fires, with a goal of cutting deaths and injuries from home fires by as much as 25 percent over the next five years.
