In wake of fatal fires, Nutter stresses importance of life-saving smoke detectors

Following several fatal fires, the city of Philadelphia is stressing the importance of smoke detectors.

 

Fires killed eight people within a week, doubling Philadelphia’s death toll for the first three months of the year by fire.

Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers says smoke detectors may be basic, but they do save lives.

“Take care of your family. Don’t let it happen to you. Stop and think about it,” he said. “A moment for safety could mean a lifetime of love and a family member close to you that you won’t have to see buried.”

Mayor Michael Nutter says the city will provide smoke detectors to those who cannot afford the potentially life-saving devices.

“Call 311,” said Nutter. “We will deliver a smoke detector to you and we will install it.”

Neither of the homes destroyed Sunday and Monday had functioning smoke alarms. The new detectors the city installs work for 10 years and have sealed batteries that cannot be removed.