Man credits smoke alarm for life

TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) - Fierce flames destroyed a Terre Haute home Wednesday morning.

Around 9:00 a.m., Gerald Allen woke up at his home at 4260 S. 7th Street to the sound of a smoke alarm.

"It was so smokey, I couldn't tell what was going on, I grabbed the phone and came out and called 911," Allen said.

Prior to the smoke alarm going off, fire officials say Allen possibly left something on the stove, took some medicine, and dozed off. Those actions caused his home to go up in flames. Fire officials are ruling the cause of the fire as accidental.

"Thank god for the fire alarm. If it wasn't for the fire alarm I wouldn't be here talking to you now," Allen said.

Fire officials say when Daylight savings time goes into effect it is also a good time to change the batteries in smoke alarms. Daylight savings time starts at 2 a.m. on March 14, 2010.