Unattended cooking is a leading cause of house fires, according to the Asheville Fire Department.
The Asheville Fire Department responded to a fire alarm activation at a residence this past week, forced entry and found food left on the stove. Thanks to the fire alarm, which was monitored by an outside agency, and the quick response from AFD this home was saved from fire damage! The resident was not home and thankfully there were no injuries.
Unattended cooking is a leading cause of house fires.
Did you know the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half when there are working smoke alarms? The Asheville Fire Department encourages all citizens to install at least one smoke alarm in their home as soon as possible, especially with the cold weather and holiday season upon us.
If you currently have smoke alarms, please test them and be sure they have fresh batteries. While research shows that most homes have at least one smoke alarm, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. The National Fire Protection Association reports show that hardwired devices are more likely to operate than those that were battery-powered. The lowest death rate was seen in homes that contained both hardwired smoke alarms and sprinklers.
The Asheville Fire Department acknowledges that not all homeowners can afford sprinklers or fire alarm systems, but we do stress the importance of having at least battery operated smoke alarms in your home.
If you have questions or concerns regarding smoke alarms and fire safety, please contact AFD at 828-259-5636.