Though the NYFD (appropriately IMO) cataloged for the NYT this morning all the stupid mistakes that the adults inside made. Staying inside trying to throw water on the fire, calling a husband instead of 911 -- the first 911 call came from a house across the street, etc. Oh, and there were 2 smoke detectors, but neither had a battery, and of course overloaded electrical circuits. Stupidity is deadly.
That always gets my dander up. Either someone removed the batteries for use in another device, or the batteries were getting low, started that slow annoying warning beep, and somebody pulled the batteries and never replaced them.
Might not have been true in this case, but too many people have died over the lack of a few dollars worth of 9V batteries.