Yahoo News Child's vigilance alerts officer to house fire
Apr. 9—Had it not been for a 9-year-old neighbor girl, Steve Rodgers could have lost his home.
The vigilance of Aubrey Reeg alerting a police officer of smoke resulted in a fire being limited to the kitchen of Rodgers' home at 2303 Delaware Ave.
Aubrey and her mother live on that street and were standing outside while her mother was having a conversation with New Castle police officer Mark Lewis when she insisted she smelled smoke.
"I saw smoke coming from that house," she said pointing at it, "then I saw smoke coming out of the windows."
She alerted Lewis she thought the house was on fire. He quickly called for the New Castle Fire Department, and they were there within minutes and put the fire out. They had been at a call only a few blocks away and were close by when they got the call, city fire Chief Mike Kobbe said.
Story continues below video
Rodgers' girlfriend, Michele McDanel, said afterward no one was at home when the fire started. Two cats in the house ran to safety.
Kobbe said the blaze, which broke out just before 4 p.m., appears to have been accidental and was limited to the kitchen. The rest of the house had no fire damage but had a lot of smoke.
He said the origin was possibly the kitchen stove. He said Rodgers' home was not inhabitable after the fire, and he informed the firefighters he had a place to stay Monday night.
The firefighters returned to the house later for a reported rekindle, but according to Lewis, there was some excess smoke in the house and the fire had not reignited.
