MD State Fire Marshal: Fire Deaths Continue to Decrease in 2011
PIKESVILLE, MD (February 7, 2012) – Maryland State Fire Marshal William E. Barnard has
announced the 2011 Fire Deaths report revealing 67 Marylanders died in 56 fatal fires during 2011. Those fire deaths represent a 6% decrease as compared to the 71 fire deaths occurring in 50 fatal fires in 2010.
In 2011, as in other years, most fire deaths occurred in residential structures, including 48 deaths in one and two family dwellings, four victims of apartment fires, and one victim of a mobile home fire. Residential fires accounted for 79 percent of the fire deaths in 2011, compared to 86 percent in 2010, and 77 percent in 2009.
Fourteen fatal residential structure fires occurred where the smoke alarms were known to function properly, but the fires still claimed the lives of 19 individuals. There were no smoke alarms present in seven fatal structure fires that killed 10 Maryland residents in 2011, including one fire in which three women died.
Another four people died in separate structure fires where the smoke alarms were present, but did not operate.
Nine counties experienced no fire fatalities, these include: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Garrett,Kent, St. Mary’s, Somerset and Talbot. Baltimore City reported 17 fire deaths in 2011 which is lower than the 20 fire deaths reported in 2010 and Anne Arundel County reported 1 fire death in 2011, while 6 perished in 2010. Unfortunately, Prince Georges County reported 16 fire deaths in 2011 as compared to 7 fire deaths in 2010.
“Every Marylander needs to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and their families by ensuring they have working smoke alarms in their homes,” according to the State Fire Marshal. “If you are building a new home, please consider installing residential fire sprinklers. When used in combination; fire sprinklers, working smoke alarms and fire escape plans provide assistance in helping to protect citizens from the perils of an uncontrolled fire.”
The entire report and additional data is available at the OSFM website –
www.firemarshal.state.md.us, click on “Safety and Prevention”. Visit our Facebook page under – “Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal”, for valuable fire and life safety tips offered throughout the year.