Boardman Fire Chief Mark Pitzer praised the efforts of a 14-year-old girl who helped prevent her home from burning down on Thurs., Mar. 19. Pitzer made his remarks at the regular meeting of Boardman Trustees that was held on Monday at the Government Center.
      Near 7:00 p.m., firemen were sent to 631 Cathy Ann Dr. where they found a fire in an upstairs bedroom.
      Investigators believe the fire started in or near an electric baseboard heater and damage was set near $30,000.
      The home is owned by Allan and Maria Pavelko, who were not there at the time of the fire.
      “The couple’s 14-year-old daughter discovered the fire and knew what to do as a result of her elementary school fire safety education,” Chief Pitzer told Trustees.
      Lt. Jim McCreary said that the teenager thought she smelled smoke in the home and went upstairs to investigate the odor.
      “As she got to the second floor, the smoke detector began to sound and she put her hands on a bedroom door that she could feel was hot,” McCreary said, adding the teenager “immediately picked up her cat and left the house and called 9-1-1.”
      “Sarah said she knew from her elementary fire safety education to leave the home and call emergency services,” McCreary said.
      By not opening the door, she starved the fire of oxygen and kept the blaze from spreading to the rest of the structure.
      “Her quick notification to the fire department kept the fire to just one room,” McCreary noted.