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Smoke Detectors Credited With Pair's Escape From Fire

RUGENE MOORE / News Channel 8

It took firefighters 45 minutes to bring this fire at a Clearwater home under control.

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Published: December 14, 2007

Updated: 12/14/2007 07:50 am

Photos From The Fire

An elderly couple lost three pets in an electrical fire that destroyed their Clearwater house early this morning.

Firefighters began battling flames at 1120 Kingsley St., home of Lawrence Tieman, 74, and Geneva Tieman, 85, shortly before 1:30 a.m. It took them 45 minutes to control the fire, which was caused by an electrical malfunction in the attic, said Elizabeth Daly-Watts, the city's public safety spokeswoman.

A dog and two birds died in the fire, Daly-Watts said.

"In this case, it appears properly working smoke alarms saved this couple's life," Daly-Watts said.

The Tiemans were taken to Morton Plant Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Most of the damage was to the garage and attic, but there was water and smoke damage throughout the house, Daly-Watts said.

Officials did not have a damage estimate.

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