BAZETTA - A fire department official is urging residents to install smoke alarms after two families were rescued from a blaze early Saturday.
Crews were called out about 2 a.m. to a kitchen fire at a 2403 Hoagland Blackstub Road duplex and quickly extinguished the fire.
"They were lucky," said Bazetta fire Chief Dennis Lewis, adding the fire department gave four working smoke detectors to the residents. He said free smoke detectors are available for others to pick up at the fire station.
A woman and two children, ages 8 and 9, were safely evacuated. A fourth person - a neighbor in the adjoining duplex - also was evacuated.
Heavy smoke trapped the woman and her two kids in a bedroom. They, along with a sheriff's deputy, went to the hospital for smoke inhalation and have since been released.
Neighbor RoseAnn Gordon and her sons evacuated their unit and watched as firefighters got the other family to safety.
Fact Box
Free smoke detectors
WHAT: The Bazetta Fire Department is offering free smoke detectors
MORE INFO: Call Bazetta Township at 330-637-4136 or visit the fire department
"They kicked the door in and there was smoke flowing out of the apartment. They were upstairs. There was smoke flowing out of the apartment, so the fire department had to go in and rescue them," Gordon said.
A home that doesn't have working smoke detectors "is just uncalled for in this time," Lewis said.
Both families were able to return to their homes later Saturday.
Tribune news partner WYTV 33 contributed to this report.