Fact Set #2 An Alarming Event

Ninety-five candles, five fire engines, two ladder companies, and one birthday cake. Firefighters responding to a fire alarm and cloud of smoke were instead offered carrot cake by ninety-five-year-old birthday girl Mabel McCullough. Ok, so they didn’t stay for cake, but they were quite surprised to find a celebration ensuing instead of a five-alarm blaze. “In my twenty-three years on the job, I’ve seen a lot of things set off a fire alarm, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of one going off because of a birthday cake,” said Fire Chief Lonnie Lamb. The birthday to remember was planned by Mabel’s’ First United Church women’s group who decided to light all ninety-five candles. “There wasn’t an inch to spare. By the time we had them all lit, it looked like a torch,” said Eddie Carlin one of the party goers. Tulsa, Oklahoma would like to wish Mabel a blazing birthday but cautions that next years she uses one simple candle, a number ninety-six.