Recent Tragic Fires and Fire Safety Awareness

1/12/2022 (Permalink)

If you have been following local and regional news lately; you have shared the same shock caused by fire fatalities that I experienced; not once – but twice in the last 10 days. A house fire in Philadelphia on 1/5 killed 12 people; including 9 children.  Less than one week later a fire at a high rise apartment in the Bronx, NY killed 17 people including 8 children.  Two fires = 29 total deaths and 17 children died. 

Officials have concluded that the fire in Philadelphia was caused by a child playing with a lighter and igniting the family Christmas tree.  NY officials have concluded that the blaze in the Bronx was due to a faulty space heater – with probable faulty exit doors that were supposed to close,  but did not and most if not all died from smoke inhalation.  Tragedy on this scale in unimaginable and unthinkable; however it is a reality.

Studies show that most people who die in house or building fires are killed by smoke inhalation.  In fact 50% to 78% of all fire deaths are smoke related. Both fires occurred around Christmas and New Year’s which is consistent with the typical rise in home fires that occur during the holiday season.

When tragedies of this scale happen; we need to all learn the lessons offered. There are several previous blogs posted on this very website explaining and warning of the risk of holiday and home fires. In most cases; heating devices or human error or mishap is to blame.  This, unfortunately was the case in each fire.

When heating your home with space heaters or other types of portable heating devices; one must be aware of both the risk of fire and carbon monoxide.  The old adage “children should not play with matches” or in this case a cigarette lighter invites the need for parents to be aware of the hazards in their homes and keep such hazards out of reach.

FIRE is a deadly serious issue – please be fire smart and work to prevent such tragedies in the future.