They were out of power, but that didn't keep their battery-powered smoke alarm from working. And that's what helped save a Ridge Road couple Friday morning, according to the Nevada County Consolidated Fire District.

Osmer and Mary Tucker called 911 from their 10738 Ridge Road house at 3:53 a.m., after a propane lantern propped on a dining room table somehow tipped and burned the table and adjacent chairs.

The flames then burned a hole through the floor, said Battalion Chief Vern Canon.

The Tuckers' smoke alarm sounded, then they noticed smoke coming from beneath their bedroom door, Canon said.

"They're really quite lucky they woke up to the smoke," he said.

Crews had the fire out by about 4:15 a.m., and they cleared the scene just before 7 a.m., said Engineer Spencer Garrett. He said the fire caused an estimated $20,000 in structural damage to the house, located off Pear Orchard Way, and destroyed about $20,000 in contents.

The Tuckers were among several thousand customers without power because of Thursday night's heavy snows. Ice and snow also hampered fire crews as they tried to leave the house, which has a long driveway, Canon said.

County road crews came by with snow-moving tractors to help them get out.

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