Fire fatalities in 2024 on a 'disturbing' rise in New Hampshire

By MARA HOPLAMAZIAN

New Hampshire Public Radio

Published: 07-01-2024 12:00 PM

Thirteen people have died in fires in just the first half of 2024, according to data from New Hampshire’s fire marshal. That’s more fire-related deaths than in all of 2023, or in all of 2022.

The eleven fires that caused fatalities spanned almost every county in the state.

The youngest person who died was 36; the oldest were two people who died together in Dover earlier this June, at 93.

Nearly three quarters of the deaths this year occurred in buildings without working smoke alarms or without an adequate number of smoke alarms.

Sean Toomey, New Hampshire’s fire marshal, said the increase in deaths has been disturbing.

“The most alarming trend is the lack of smoke alarms,” he said. “When people are sleeping, the only way they're going to wake up is having a working smoke alarm.”

Toomey said smoke alarms should be placed in every bedroom, outside of every sleeping area, and on every level of a home. Alarms should be replaced after 10 years and should have their batteries changed twice a year.

Having interconnected alarms is best, officials say, and wireless ones are acceptable. If smoke alarms are hard-wired, they should have back-up batteries.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

‘What the hell is going on?”: Chichester votes to defund entire town administrative office, but may reconsider
‘Voting our wallets’: Loudon residents vote overwhelmingly against $1.7M bond for new fire truck
Boys’ hockey: Concord takes championship in historic quadruple overtime victory over BG, 2-1
Man dies in mechanical accident with dump truck in Bow
Letter: End New Hampshire vehicle inspections
Hopkinton voters call for action on ‘inadequate’ state funding for public education

Households should test smoke alarms monthly to make sure they are working properly.

Most of the deadly fires in 2024 occurred during the daytime, which is a shift from the trend in 2022 and 2023, when most occurred in the early hours of the morning.