3 homeless after blaze destroys Chester County home, but smoke alarm saves them

A fire Sunday morning in rural Chester County left three people homeless, emergency officials said, but a smoke alarm may have helped save their lives

Two people inside of the house on Howze Road in eastern Chester County near the Catawba River were able to get out of the building without injury and call 911, said Allen Culp, Fort Lawn Volunteer Fire Department Chief.

Three people live at the house, but one person was at work at the time of the fire, he said.

Working smoke detectors woke the two residents up, Culp said.

“The residents told us they were asleep and the alarms going off woke them up,” Culp said.

Firefighters from Fort Lawn, Lando, Richburg and Lesslie in York County responded to the fire that happened as an inch snowfall was hitting the area.

The American Red Cross is assisting the residents with shelter and other needs, Red Cross officials said Sunday. To help the people affected, visit redcross.org.

Further details about the incident were not available Sunday morning.

This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 11:48 AM with the headline "3 homeless after blaze destroys Chester County home, but smoke alarm saves them."