Des Moines, IA - The state of Iowa is already on track to set a record for the number of fire deaths. So far this year nine people have died. But this morning a Story City man survived a house fire thanks to his quick wits and a working smoke detector.
The smoke detector is a sound no one wants to hear, but it's one that's hard to live without. When Luke Schnurr heard it, his first instinct was to investigate.
"I opened the door and smoke came billowing into my bedroom door," Schnurr said.
He knew the best place to go was down away from the smoke, but Luke didn't count on the fire raging on the floor below him.
"The floor was super hot, so I knew the fire was downstairs," he said.
Luke's only option was to open a window, punch out the screen, and jump.
"I was just running on pure adrenaline and instinct and I just had to get out of that house."
Fortunately a snow bank broke his fall. Unfortunately, he was barefoot with barely any clothes on one of the coldest mornings of the year. Firefighters were able to grab Luke a coat and blanket among other belongings.
Everything in the house was destroyed, but Luke knows two things today: He made the right moves, and the firefighters make it look easy.
"They're a lot braver than I am. I'll tell you that for sure," Luke said.
Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire. |
