Boardman girl's quick reaction helps firefighters save her family's house

Staff report

BOARDMAN

While Sarah Pavalko, 14, was home alone Thursday night, she smelled smoke in her family’s Cathyann Drive home and went to investigate.

When she reached the top of the stairs on the second floor, where her sister’s bedroom is located, she detected smoke coming out of the room as a smoke alarm began to go off.

She felt heat on the door, but instead of opening it to investigate further, she did what she learned from her elementary-school fire education: She immediately left the house and called 911. Before she escaped, she also grabbed her cat.

When firefighters got there, the fire was still contained to the one room. Fire officials say Sarah’s reaction helped save the rest of the family’s home.

“By Sarah not opening the door to her sister’s bedroom, she starved the fire of much-needed oxygen to burn and kept the fire from spreading to the remainder of the structure,” fire officials said in a statement Friday.

Investigators believe the fire started in or near an electric baseboard heater. Damage estimates are set at about $30,000.

The Pavalko family is staying at a hotel for now. Allan and Maria Pavalko say they are proud of their daughter and her actions.