CARY - A missing master key to 992 Cary business lockboxes was returned, halting a re-keying effort that could have cost the town $15,000.

It's all thanks to Talie Madans, the community association manager at Carolina Preserve on 115 Allforth Place in western Cary, who found the key underneath a recycling bin near the community's rec center and called the fire department. She returned the keys Tuesday, after reading about the missing key debacle.

Firefighters had responded to a fire alarm at the senior community on March 10, the same day the key went missing.

"I can't really run into a burning building, or carry people on my shoulders," Madans said. "But if I can find a key, I feel like I contributed."

The department has 20 master keys that can open lockboxes in case of an emergency. The lockboxes hold keys that firefighters can use to access the business during after-hour emergencies and service calls. One master key is assigned to each of the town's fire trucks. Only the shift supervisor has access to the key.

The missing key had been gone for almost a week, leading firefighters to remove building keys from all 992 lockboxes over the weekend. Those keys are being returned to business owners this week, according to Cary fire chief Allan Cain. A purchase order for new locks and keys has not been sent, he added.

This was the first time in 24 years that one of the master keys had been lost.