An elderly couple is still trying to cope after their east Windsor home went up in flames early Saturday morning.
Without being alerting by their smoke detector, they say they wouldn't be alive today.
"She said, 'Carley the house is on fire.' I could hear it in her voice how scared she was," says granddaughter Carley Kavanaugh.
Kavanaugh, 16, rushed to her grandparents side who live three doors down from her on Menard Street.
She was one of the first on scene after her grandparents were woken by their smoke alarm.
Investigators say the fire is started in the basement of the home.
Damage is estimated at $300,000.
The couple says 6 months ago their smoke alarm was acting up. They it replaced immediately.
Acting District Chief Sean Wilson says purchasing a smoke alarm is a smart investment.
"Take the extra $15, it's a great insurance policy," says Wilson.
In 2013, Windsor Fire and Rescue reported 43% of the homes were not up to standard when it comes to working smoke alarms, double the provincial average.
Since then, they have launched a campaign to increase the number of smoke alarms in houses.
To date they have reached out to almost 16,000 homes and are hoping to hit every house in Windsor within the next 5 years.
