VIRGINIA BEACH -- Fire alarms and smoke detectors will alert you to danger in your home so you can get out safely.
The Hohman family lost their pet and everything inside when a garage fire spread through their home in July 2008.
"It's just unimaginable that it happens to you and especially in the middle of the night. It was just really scary, it really was," recalled Jessica Hohman.
Some papers they'd stored in the garage went up in smoke.
Capt. Jon Rigalo says important papers and items might survive if they're kept in a fire safe.
"I've only found a handful and I've found them charred up. I've found them with no damage at all. Typically, they hold up okay and the contents have been good," he stated.
How much heat can safes withstand?
Papers and a CD were put into a $40 waterproof fire safe and it was places on wooden pallets in the burn house to check its fire and water proof claims.
Within 20 seconds, the safe was surrounded by flames.
A thermal imaging camera tracked the heat that quickly reached 650-700 degrees.
The fire burned for several minutes and then was extinguished.
"A lot of the plastic's melted, so the key is not there and the handles have burned off" Capt. Rigalo noted.
After using a Hal-Again to remove the melted plastic, he pried open the safe.
"It appears that Rick Springfield (CD) survived the fire and the note says 'if you can read this, then it works,'" he added.
He looked closely at the firesafe and found the gasket was still there. So, if water reached it, everything inside would be dry.
"I thought maybe the exterior would hold up better so it would be easier to gain access to. Still, though, all intact -- not bad," he stated.
