BIDDEFORD — They lived the unimaginable, losing a beloved son and a precious grandson to an apartment fire in April 2006.
On Saturday, the family of Austin Blake, the 3-year-old who perished, returned to Biddeford where, under the auspices of the Austin Blake Memorial Fund, they continued their pledge to help train children and their parents about fire safety.
About a dozen youngsters, accompanied by their families, attended the weekend event. The little ones, ranging from less than 1 year old to 8 or 9, saw a firefighter put on his turn-out gear and listened when Biddeford Fire Department Deputy Chief Paul LaBrecque spoke about how smoke travels and how to crawl under it. They learned to touch a door before opening it to see if its hot ”“ a signal there’s fire behind it.
Sparky the fire dog greeted the youths, who then got to clamber over the fire trucks and rescue units, among other fun ”“ and educational ”“ ventures. Each of the little ones got a red plastic firefighter hat, and enjoyed some snacks.
Their parents listened, too, and took home fire escape ladders and fire extinguishers.
Three of the eight families who attended the two-hour tutorial have very recent experience of fire: They were burned out of their Cutts Street apartments Nov. 10, allegedly by an arsonist.
Shawn Hodgkins, holding 11-month-old Laila, was living on the fourth floor of the building at 22 Cutts St. with his fiancée, Brenda Smith. They, along with Laila and two of Brenda’s boys, were in the apartment when the fire broke out at about 10:30 p.m.
“I’d just gotten out of the shower and the smoke alarms went off,” said Hodgkins. “I said, ”˜We need to get out of here.’”
Hodgkins said the porch was engulfed in flames and the family left the house through a back entrance.
They lost everything, including their van.
The family is now re-settled into a new apartment and the community has been generous, said Hodgkins.
“It’s good to have something like this,” he said of the afternoon talk about fire.
Cat Janson, an outreach worker with York County Community Action Corporation, helped identify families to participate in the educational afternoon.
While some of the children might get some education about fire at Headstart, many don’t, said Jansen.
Blake’s family members, with help from Old Orchard Beach Methodist Church, set up the Austin Blake Memorial Fund three years ago. It is directed at families who live in Biddeford.
The Blakes had lived in an apartment that wasn’t supposed to exist, after the city denied landlord Michael McCarthy’s application to add the fifth apartment on the third floor of a four-unit building. According to Cathy Blake, Austin’s mother, the smoke detectors didn’t sound and a fire extinguisher she attempted to use didn’t work either.
The boy was rescued from the fire, but died from smoke inhalation.
Walter Gray, Cathy Blake’s father, said readying for the memorial event can be rough.
Cathy Blake wears a photo of young Austin in a locket around her neck. She nodded, agreeing with her father.
“All the smiles on the kids’ faces help,” she said.
— Contact Staff Writer Tammy Wells at 324-4444 or at twells@journaltribune.com.
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