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Fatal fire probe finds no working smoke detectors

By Jeff Haldiman
News Tribune
Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 12:39 PM CDT
Fire investigators have determined that there were no working smoke detectors in a home where three children died Friday.

Autopsies revealed the victims - Gracie Wilkerson, 2, Chance Wilkerson, 4, and Trevor Smith, 6 - died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Holts Summit Fire Protection District Chief Scott Brooks said Wednesday they came to the conclusion about smoke detectors after looking through the debris of the home, 1718 Lee St., and interviewing the adults who lived there.

The home is located outside the Holts Summit city limits.

“Because the home is in the county there are no laws or ordinances saying that there must be smoke detectors in the home,” he said. “I think we're going to have to look at what can be done to change that.

“We don't want to be overburdensome, but we would have to be able to verify if people were following the ordinance.”

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ODF wrote on Apr 29, 2009 8:26 AM:

" unperfect - I had the same situation. I eventually moved it a little and it seemed to help....but it didn't go too far because I still want one near the kitchen. You might try moving it just a little.

I have a little 2 bedroom, 1 bath house with full basement and I have 4 smoke detectors....one outside each bedroom, one near the kitchen and one downstairs where the utility room and workshop is. "

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unperfect wrote on Apr 28, 2009 4:55 PM:

" In the past, my mom was always on my case about those stupid smoke detectors. Every freakin' time I tried to cook they would go off, so I took the batteries out. Easy enough, right? And then I'd put it back in it's place so my mom wouldn't totally freak out every time she came over. (it was soooooo annoying)
Due to recent events, I put some fresh batteries in those suckers. I never really took the threat seriously but when a mother your age loses children the same age as your child, it makes you take a step back and reevaluate. I hope I'm not the only one who has reevaluated. "

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G.Willikers wrote on Apr 28, 2009 10:30 AM:

" Story says there were no working smoke detectors in the home. So were there smoke detectors and they were inoperable or were there no smoke detectors at all? Story doesn't really say one way or the other.

Smoke detectors are about $5 and batteries are a couple of bucks. If you want to perish in a fire, that is your business....but if you have kids, PLEASE make sure you have OPERATING smoke detectors in your home, at least for their sake. "

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lovemyboys wrote on Apr 23, 2009 8:30 AM:

" Boxergal -- I will. Thank you for your kind words. "

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lovemyboys wrote on Apr 23, 2009 8:29 AM:

" Also, it's a good idea to have a couple fire extinguishers in your home...one in the kitchen for sure.

We have a smoke detector near our furnace/water heater and 2 on the main level (yes, that's overkill..but I'm married to a fireman..LOL!). We have 2 carbon monoxide detectors and 3 fire extinguishers.

My parents have an old home and my husband installed 3 smoke detectors in their home (one on each level) years ago...had it not been for the one in the basement, their home would have burned down...my brother (a teenager at the time) was home alone when the smoke detector started beeping. He called 911, the fire dept came and prevented a catastrophe. "

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boxergal wrote on Apr 23, 2009 8:27 AM:

" And tell your husband that we appreciate the work he does. The firemen here are very compassionate caring people. They showed up at the assisted living home to help my mother out when she fell because the ambulance was out on call. Extremely caring. So, thank you firemen for everything you do. "

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lovemyboys wrote on Apr 23, 2009 8:22 AM:

" It's a terrible tragedy that these precious angels had to perish in this fire. And, obviously, nothing can change that, but please, please folks, make sure you have smoke detectors in your home and that they work and you maintain them. They should not be an optional ammenity in your homes....! And, if you can afford it, get a good carbon monoxide detector as well (they run around $50 at Lowe's).

If you cannot afford smoke detectors, please contact your local fire departments as they usually have free ones......it's that important. "

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lovemyboys wrote on Apr 23, 2009 8:18 AM:

" My husband that most people are very appreciate of the fireman coming door-to-door and trying to help them, but you are all correct, they can't possibly hit every home, but they sure try.

As for rental property, the landlords in the City are only required to provide the smoke detectors, but it is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain them. City codes are much more stringent for landlords than County codes so keep that in mind...

Also, my husband said there are people who just don't maintain them by keeping fresh batteries in them and testing annually or they take the batteries out to use for something out in the house. "

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lovemyboys wrote on Apr 23, 2009 8:15 AM:

" I'm married to a Fireman. They don't force people to use smoke detectors, but every year in October (which is Fire Safety month), Lowe's donates tons of smoke detectors and the JC Firefighters go around their area of town and knock on doors and ask people if they have smoke detectors and if they don't, would they like some free ones. They answer questions from residents about where to put them, how many for their house size, etc. The batteries are in the smoke detectors when donated (but put in backwards to keep it fresh and all you have to do is turn it around and hang them in your home. "

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boxergal wrote on Apr 23, 2009 7:34 AM:

" Got that one near my floor and near sleeping areas. I had a furnace red tagged last winter due to bad heat exchangers and leaking co. Also had a hotwater heater catch on fire years ago but thank God I hadn't left for work yet, otherwise my son would probably not be around as he was sleeping in during summer. Serious stuff and I do all I can to prevent a catastrophe. Thanks for the info. "

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aswell wrote on Apr 23, 2009 1:26 AM:

" and goes with CO nighthawk detector it should be placed near the ceiling or near the floor as CO is very close to the same density as air. away from the garage only in sleeping areas. "

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boxergal wrote on Apr 23, 2009 12:03 AM:

" Funny you mentioned the 10 years. After reading this article I was looking at my hardwired one. Sure enough, 10 years. I didn't know that and I bet a lot of other people don't either. So I am going to get some that run on batteries and stick them up. Maybe more published info about this subject might help??? "

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aswell wrote on Apr 22, 2009 10:53 PM:

" 1. smoke detectors have a life span 10 yrs. even hard wired units and when I was fined where my rental units had no batteries in them I had the fire dept at no charge use a date seal to show that if removed for the renters remote ,I even marked the bats so renter was fined and in some parishes even give away detectors away for free . GE messed up when they did away with the 12 volt (D) cell looking battery ,you could not use it for anything but a smoke detector indeed it cost 22.00 to replace but it lasted 5 years , so no excuse here for no working detectors or anywhere. Might the county charge them for inv.manslaughter. "

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Bus Driver wrote on Apr 22, 2009 8:47 PM:

" I think every Adult in the house should be responsible whether You rent or own or share the place as a roomie cuase the owner if rented may never drop by and can nly isure and installed and have fresh battery ifn has new tennants "

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midmotalkdotcom wrote on Apr 22, 2009 8:22 PM:

" I believe that if you request it, the FD will come out to check the placement of smoke detectors in your home for you, and as HBIC mentioned offer to give you some if needed. I've never heard of them going door to door anywhere though. "

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amt1021 wrote on Apr 22, 2009 8:00 PM:

" Ok but does this story say that the smoke dectors were found and didn't have a battery in them or that the home didn't have smoke dectors at all?? "

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HBIC wrote on Apr 22, 2009 4:41 PM:

" We have the CC Fire Department walk down our street with the PD and trucks. They went to EVERY door asking to see your fire alarm, asking to test it and asking to give you one if you didn't have one. I could have taken one but since I have two that are Fire and Carbon Monoxide I asked them to give them to someone that really needed them. I don't think it is a responsibility but they made every effort to check and help people out. "

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boscoe wrote on Apr 22, 2009 4:38 PM:

" I don't think Jefferson City FD goes around and verifies working smoke detectors in the city limits.

As cheap as smoke detectors are, it seems like there is no reason not to have at least one on every level of the house.

Hopefully this tragedy will inspire some folks to go get some smoke detectors and batteries and check their smoke detectors for proper operation. "

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ok wrote on Apr 22, 2009 3:23 PM:

" I think this should a responsibilty of the homeowner. How is the FD going to check all houses in city limits and the county? It is not happen and should not be happen BY the FD. Homeowners need to take care of their smoke detectors.
As for someone educating and avocating smoke detectors, I know my pediatricians recomends AT EVERY VISIT a smoke and carbon dioxide detector. Each and every time. "

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Parrothead911 wrote on Apr 22, 2009 2:57 PM:

" Your're right, Mommy. It should the reponsibility of individuals to make sure their home is as firesafe as possible. At the risk of sounding judgemental and/or sarcastic, some laws are enacted for those who are unable/unwilling to think for themselves (eg headlights must be on when wiindshild wipers are activatted). I wasn't at the fire scene, so I do not know if a full set of working smoke detectors would have affected the horrible outcome. I can't imagine the hell Mom is going through. She has my deepest thoughts, prayers and sympathies. "

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boxergal wrote on Apr 22, 2009 2:02 PM:

" I agree mommy, totally. In fact, the whole idea kind of put me off. I can just see some firemen stomping through my home to see if I have a fire detector. Come on. Whats next, co detectors? This poor mom was young. All I can recommend is that anyone with young adults preach that they have these things in their homes. This is such a shame but I think there might be more variables that went into this other than just smoke dectectors. I am sure that would have helped but so would having a fully staffed fire dept. Holts Summit can't even enforce the ordinances it has now, what the heck are they thinking?? "

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mommyof2 wrote on Apr 22, 2009 1:56 PM:

" I'm sorry, but this is NOT the fire department's responsibility. It ultimately comes down to the homeowner and as heartbreaking as these two stories have been, it DOES fall to the homeowner to make sure they have working detectors "

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boxergal wrote on Apr 22, 2009 1:51 PM:

" Wait, does this include verifying that people in the city limits have one too? I hope the fire department has extra people to do this because there is just NO way. Or check to make sure each and every resident has batteries in their smoke detectors? Again, nice thought but it will never happen. "

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boxergal wrote on Apr 22, 2009 1:47 PM:

" I don't really understand this. That home looked no older than my home. I am outside the city limits but my builder made sure that he put in a hard wired detector. And how in the world would you ever verify that every home in the county had a detector?? I would think it would be an impossible task, although its a good thought. "

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