CARRBORO — A newly replaced smoke alarm may have averted a disaster Sunday morning when a resident woke in time to put the fire out, Deputy Chief Trey Mayo said.

Carrboro Fire-Rescue personnel responded to a call from Berkshire Manor Apartments shortly after 8 a.m. and found smoke coming from apartment G-4. A hair dryer that had not been used for at least 24 hours had shorted out and burned a carpet in the living room. Because the apartment had a working smoke alarm, the sleeping resident woke up, put out the fire, and left the apartment safely. Damage was minimal.

After a rash of fires last fall, Carrboro Fire-Rescue has been working with apartment communities, stressing the importance of replacing old smoke alarms. Carrboro Fire-Rescue recommends replacing smoke alarms at least every 10 years. After that, smoke alarms can become less sensitive or may not work at all. Berkshire Manor has recently replaced the smoke alarms in all its apartment buildings.

Many people ignore the importance of working smoke alarms and believe the sound of a fire or the smell of smoke will wake them, Mayo said in a news release. In fact, studies show that the smoke and gases given off by a fire actually put a person into a deeper state of sleep.

Carrboro Fire-Rescue reminds everyone to have working smoke alarms on each level and in all sleeping areas of their home. Unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer, smoke alarms should be tested weekly and batteries should be replaced every six months.

For residents living in the Town of Carrboro or the South Orange Fire District, the Fire-Rescue Department will test existing smoke alarms or install new ones free of charge. Call 918-7347 for more information.