In Warren, a close call for a homeowner who rushed back inside a burning home to try and rescue some pets. 

Meanwhile, Warren's fire chief is sounding an alarm with potentially life-saving information.  

Shortly after 3:00 am, Amy Ford was startled as she woke up to flames at her home on Wick Street NE. Ford had fallen asleep using a heating pad. Ford said, "It was a little more than scary. You wake up and I had flames behind my head on my bed."

The flames burned Amy's nose. Her husband Cecil Ford was in the hospital on Monday after smoke inhalation. The call to 911 at first states both occupants are out of the home, but shortly after the homeowner rushed back in to save 18 cats. The 911 call stated, "PD is advising they can hear him screaming inside of the house."

Warren police officer Joe Wilson rushed in, found the homeowner and carried him out of suffocating black smoke. Ford added, "It was an amazing thing to see. I can't believe he actually passed out. He kept running back in and next thing I know a cop ran in to get him and carried him out. I thank the police and firefighters. They were great. I kept wanting to see what was going on, but they kept telling me to get back, get away. But it's your home, your husband. I have always been so careful. I unplug the coffee pot when I leave home. I have two chimneys and we have never had a fire in 40 years."

Warren Fire Chief Ken Nussle emphasized, "Once you get out to safety, do not go back in a burning home. It is critical to stay out. I understand people's dogs and cats are family members to people, but once you get out you should not attempt to get back in. You can end up dying. In addition, running back in a burning home can put officers and other people at risk. The police officer did an admirable thing, going above and beyond, but he too could have become a victim. We are prepared. Firefighters have breathing apparatus, the hose, thermal imaging cameras."
 
Warren's fire chief said there were no smoke detectors in the house. They would have been notified much earlier had they had working smoke detectors. 

"From my understanding, the first alert they had was when the bed was on fire. So that is really cutting it close. We have smoke detectors free for people in Warren and our region." Nussle said. "People can go to the American Red Cross or come here and fill out an application. They will have smoke detectors installed on every level of the home. There is no income limitation, you can have a million dollars and still get the free smoke detectors installed to help save lives."