Parrot’s Fire Alarm Sounds Save Family

A noisy parrot that likes to imitate sounds helped save a man and his son from a house fire by mocking a smoke alarm, the bird’s owner says.

Shannon Conwell, 33, said he and his 9-year-old son fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie. They awoke about 3 a.m. Friday, Oct. 19th to find their home on fire after hearing the family’s Amazon parrot, Peanut, imitating a fire alarm.

“He was really screaming his head off,” Conwell said.

The smoke alarm had activated, but it was the bird’s call that caught Conwell’s attention.

“I grabbed my son and my bird, and got out of the house,” he said.

The fire destroyed the home’s dining room, kitchen and bedroom, Muncie fire officials said. It remains under investigation.

Aside from Peanut, Conwell said the fact that he and his son fell asleep on the couch helped save them. They may not have heard the alarm or the bird if they were asleep in their bedrooms.

Conwell said he runs an air conditioner and a breathing machine in his bedroom and they drown out a lot of noise around the house.

Latest Comments

• October 31, 2007 at 12:14 pm

  Mark says:

  Maybe the idiot should get a real fire alarm that he can hear - Or put one outside the bedroom as well like the rest of us. STUPID
• October 23, 2007 at 11:35 am

  SP says:

  I am allergic to bird feathers so I don't have one. Maybe I should just deal with it and get a parrot! :)
• October 22, 2007 at 11:59 am

  Cometalia says:

  What a nice surprise to see an interesting story with a happy ending in IJ. My amazon parrot used to live with my Dad at an assisted living facility. The bird learned to mimic... read more