Mother, infant daughter escape house fire

An Elkhart County mother and her 4-month-old daughter escaped their burning home unharmed.

It happened around 11 a.m. Friday in Osolo Township.

“I was working down the street and I saw the smoke, and I just came rushing here. And the garage and all that was in flames,” Ryan Reynolds said.

Firefighters from four different departments responded to the fire.

“The first truck got here they had heavy, heavy fire coming out of the garage area,” Osolo Township Fire Chief Dean Rentfrow said.
Reynolds' sister Danielle Conley, her baby, and the family dog escaped the burning home.

Conley said in the minutes before they got out, she was trying to get some sleep, but something kept going off.

“I kept hearing an alarm, like a beeping noise,” Conley said.

She heard a beeping and the dog wouldn't start barking so she went downstairs and found smoke.

“I grabbed her out of the swing and got one of the hoodies and just ran,” Conley said.

“I'm just real blessed she got out. The baby got out fine. Everyone is okay,” said Reynolds.

The fire chief said the origin of the fire has not been identified but offers a couple fire safety tips.

“Keep your wood burners and chimneys clean. Watch your space heaters, that's the main thing. Watch your space heaters," Rentfrow said.
The family said they will be staying with neighbors

They credit a working smoke detector with saving their lives.