Keizer Woman and Children Escape Apartment Fire (VIDEO)

A smoke alarm rouses a mom and her two small boys during a dangerous apartment fire.

Photo and video by Jerry Freeman Salem-News.com

(KEIZER, Ore.) - Keizer firefighters were called out at 11:46 p.m. Thursday over a report of a fire in an apartment complex on Plymouth Drive NE in Keizer.

Captain Brian Butler with the Keizer Fire District, says firefighters arriving on scene at 11:50 p.m. called for a second alarm. He said the residential fire was spotted quickly, and that fire crews rolling up, "observed fire from the rear of the building on the second floor".

A woman who lives in a second story apartment there, says she and her boys, aged 2 and 3, were sleeping in their living room.

She told Salem-News.com that she awoke to the beeping sound of her smoke alarm, and found her kitchen in flames.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she considered trying to use baking powder to extinguish the fire, but she said, "It was growing too fast", and that's when she made the decision to grab her kids and flee the premises.

There were no injuries, and the situation seems to be a clear testimony to the effectiveness of smoke alarms, which fire agencies constantly try to remind the public about.

Butler says the fire was under control by 12:07 a.m.

Video

Jerry Freeman is part of a new generation of dedicated news photographers who are entering the Internet news industry as a second career. He shares in common with many people the dream of becoming a visual journalist. Joining the Navy at an early age, and the Oregon Army Guard a few years later, Jerry has a wide range of life experiences. He describes himself as “an old truck driver with a new found passion to bare witness on the world’s events.” Teaming up with Salem-News.com he embarks on a new career as a video news photographer and reporter. Stay tuned, and see how it turns out. Jerry seems to exhibit natural talent and is already becoming a published member of the Salem-News.com team. You can send Jerry Freeman an email at this address: Salem-News@gravityshadow.com