Woman Prevents Fire, Electrocution At Senior Living Facility

RENTON, WA - An employee at the Merrill Gardens senior living facility put out an electrical fire last month and saved at least one resident from serious harm, according to Renton fire officials.

On Jan. 16, Merrill Gardens employee Eve Repunte responded to an alarm in a room at the downtown Renton assisted living facility. At the same time, the alarm triggered a response from multiple Renton fire units.

With a fire extinguisher in hand, Repunte opened the door and saw a small electrical fire in an HVAC unit. At that moment, the person living in the room was about to pour a bowl of water on the fire. Repunte stopped the resident, preventing a potentially fatal electrocution. Repunte then put out the electrical fire using the extinguisher.

Repunte responded so quickly, the fire was completely out by the time fire units arrived on the scene.

Fire officials said that Repunte's supervisor, Shelley Thompson, trains staff on how to respond to fires. On Feb. 12, Repunte was give the fire department's Citizen Award for her quick actions.

"Thanks to the policies supported by Supervisor , and the quick actions of Eve Repunte, what could have been an extensive removal of residents and massive property damage was reduced to minor damage in a single unit of the facility. Not only did Eve prevent further spread of the fire – her instincts to stop the resident from pouring water on the electrical heater also staved off the possibility of electrocution," the department wrote in a Facebook post about Repunte.

Image courtesy Renton fire