A slow year for house fires statewide has taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks, with fatal blazes in Chesterfield County, Dinwiddie County and Richmond and a spate of fires throughout central Virginia.
Two Richmonders died in a fire early Wednesday, a little more than a week after two Chesterfield residents died in their home. A Dinwiddie man died on Christmas Eve when his house burned. A hotel in Ashland and an apartment complex in Chesterfield also have burned in the past month; while no one died in either of those fires, dozens of people were displaced and lost most of their belongings.
Between Dec. 12 and Dec. 27, Chesterfield firefighters responded to 17 house fires. After two days of relative calm in the county, another house caught fire on Dec. 30. The occupant was hospitalized with serious injuries.
"This is the most dangerous time of the year," said Mark Buff, the marketing and communications manager for the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. "The good news is, [through November] we were having a good year. The number of deaths is more than 20 less than the same time last year. But even one death is one too many."
Through November statewide, fire fatalities dropped from 68 to 44 from 2009. But there have been six this year in Chesterfield alone after none the year before.
Lt. Jason Elmore of the Chesterfield Fire Department urged people to take notice and be prepared.
"The biggest thing is education," he said. "I'd say more than 50 percent of our fires could have been prevented.
"A lot of the things that cause fires — extension cords, outlets, heating devices — are meant to create heat," he said. "You have to treat them with caution."
Elmore also said that as people put away holiday decorations, they should take the time to inspect everything and toss anything suspect.
"While everything is laid out, you might as well look at it," he said. "If it looks bad, throw it out and get something new next year."
Buff said smoke detectors are the easiest and most important thing homeowners and renters alike can use to ensure their safety.
"There's just no reason for somebody's life to be jeopardized," he said.
You can buy smoke detectors for less than $10 each, and most area fire departments offer them free if residents can't afford them.
"This is the biggest thing," said Bill Harrison, spokesman for the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross, which has helped more than 650 people affected by more than 175 fires since July 1. "They're cheap, or free, and they work."
Harrison echoed Elmore's suggestions and added another: Get out. If your house is on fire, get moving, and don't stop until you're clear of danger.
zreid@timesdispatch.com
(804) 775-8179
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