The hazards of smoking

Chico firefighters saved an elderly man on Friday (Sept. 5) after he unintentionally set fire to the carpet in his home.

Acting Chico Fire Capt. Jim Lucanic and his engine crew responded to a report of a smoke alarm at a mobile home on Henshaw Avenue that day around 9 a.m., according to a press release. Lucanic entered the smoke-filled home and found an elderly man unconscious on the hallway floor; the man was taken outside and regained consciousness after receiving medical attention. Lucanic and firefighter Kyle Mallinger extinguished the flames and saved the man’s dog.

Firefighters determined the ignition source was an unattended cigarette; damage was limited to the carpet and nearby clothing.