Three children were among seven people who escaped from a burning two-bedroom apartment today in Wahiawa, thanks to a smoke-detector.

Fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said a woman resident of apartment B at 301 Ohai Place was awakened by the smoke-detector alarm and got everyone out of the unit. Firefighters believed the fire was started by an unattended electric stove, said Tejada.

Damage is estimated at $10,000 to the building and $5,000 to its contents.

Neighbors had the 5:15 a.m. fire nearly extinguished by the time firefighters arrived.

The Hawai‘i Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting residents displaced by the fire.

Man shot after leaving a party

A 22-year-old man shot in the back early yesterday outside a Palaiki Street residence in Waipi‘o was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center in serious condition, police said. An update on the man’s condition was not available.

The shooting was reported at 3:25 a.m.

Police said the man was asked to leave a party because he was “getting loud.” During a confrontation with a group of men outside the home, where the party was held, the man was allegedly threatened with a knife. He was shot while running away from the group, police said.

Woman faces heroin charge

A 42-year-old Mexican national was charged over the weekend with being part of a conspiracy to distribute black-tar heroin in Hawai‘i. Guadalo Medina-Covarrubias, who was arrested at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, was charged with first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and was being held in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Don Radcliffe, associate special agent in charge of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs office in Honolulu, said Medina-Covarrubias was ordered deported last week by an immigration judge. The state’s decision to prosecute her on the narcotics charge, however, will keep Medina-Covarrubias in the Islands.