Virginia officials report an alarming increase in the number of people killed in house fires in 2018.
From a press release:
The Virginia Department of Fire Programs announced today that Virginia has seen an increase in civilian fire fatalities during the first quarter of 2018. As of May 29, the Commonwealth experienced 39 fire fatalities, about one civilian killed by fire in Virginia every four days.This equates to an increase of 40 percent from this date in calendar year 2017 when there were 28 fire fatalities.
While the State Fire Marshal’s Office continues to analyze the data, the preliminary results indicate that most fatal fires in Virginia were caused by human factors.Careless smoking and improperly discarded smoking materials remain the leading cause of fatal fires in Virginia for 2018.Other identified causes include portable heating equipment, unattended cooking and electrical issues. The median age of the victims is 70 years old. Many of the victims had mobility issues that prevent timely evacuation from the residence.
“The best way to fight fires is to prevent them from ever starting,” said Chief Michael Reilly, Executive Director of the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. “We need to be mindful of the fire risks within our homes. Together we can prevent unnecessary loss of life and property due to fire by having working smoke alarms, practicing home escape plans and practicing fire prevention efforts every day.”
Prince William County fire officials say they’ve also seen an increase in fires. The cause — cigarette butts.
From county Fire and Rescue Department spokesman Matt Smolsky:
“We have seen an increase in the number of fires contributed to “improper discarded smoking materials.” The Fire Marshal’s Office has determined several recent significant residential fires in our County can be contributed to improper discarded smoking materials. The primary cause being the placement of …cigarette butts, etc. into combustible materials (mulch, potting soil, flower beds or pots, open trash containers).
In addition, are seeing too many instances where smoke detectors were not working in residential properties. The primary reason for not working, “no or dead batteries” or “disconnected detectors.”
Smoke detectors save lives. There is no better tool to alert you to a fire and provide time to safely evacuate your residence.”
Virginia officials continue:
Fires in homes today burn hotter and faster due to synthetic furnishings and lightweight construction materials.As a result, occupants have a much smaller window of time to exit safely. You have as little as two minutes from the time the smoke alarm sounds before the smoke spreads throughout the home. Smoke inhalation is the cause of most fire deaths, not burns.
Updated June 4, 2018
From Stafford County Fire and Rescue Department:
While we have been fortunate not to have any fire fatalities so far this year in Stafford County, we also recognize that we can never let our guard down when it comes to fire safety. We have an aggressive community risk reduction program that stresses the importance of having working smoke alarms and practicing fire escape plans in every household. We look forward to working with our partners at the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office to prevent residential fires and to reduce the number of fire-related fatalities both in Stafford County and throughout Virginia.
