Brent Reaney
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 04/04) - Shirley Kunuk was out walking with her friends behind Evavic, across from Joamie School, sometime between 3 and 4 a.m. Aug. 20 when they heard something beeping.

"We listened for it and realized it was a smoke detector," 23-year-old Kunuk says.

David Frost and Jimmy Twerdin went up and began knocking on the door, while Kunuk and Jean Simpson remained on the road.

The smell of smoke was in the air. The group used a cell phone to call the fire department, which arrived at the house within minutes.

By this time, the woman inside had awoke and made her way out of the house.

Frost and Twerdin tried to enter the house to see if anyone else was inside, but it was too smoky, Kunuk says.

Iqaluit Fire Chief Cory Chegwyn says it appears as though the lady had started cooking something on the stove and then fell asleep.

After the pot boiled dry, it began filling the house with smoke, Chegwyn said.

The woman is lucky Kunuk and her friends took the time to stop after hearing the fire alarm.

"If she hadn't have been woken up, she may have been hospitalized, or even worse," Chegwyn said. "Don't discount the sound of a smoke detector. If you're walking by someone's house and you hear it, check to see if they're alright."

The City of Iqaluit handed out certificates of appreciation to the four heroes at a City Council meeting Sept. 24.

National Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 4-11.

The Iqaluit fire department has organized activities to be held throughout the week.