Alabama Ranks High in Nation for Number of Home Fire Deaths

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/01/eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:480;s:4:"file";s:78:"2016/01/eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-600x480.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:480;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-600x480.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:480;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => LoggaWiggler
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => Pixabay
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:156204;s:14:"optimized_size";i:156030;s:7:"percent";d:0.11;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:106:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/01/eb3cb90e28f11c3e81584d04ee44408be273e7d118b1164991f4_640_home-Fire.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:156204;s:14:"optimized_size";i:156030;s:7:"percent";d:0.11;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1636112492 
1454088151

Officials from an emergency response agency say Alabama ranks high among states for the number of home fires and deaths.

The American Red Cross of Alabama reported that, just in January, 2016, they responded to 181 home fires from which 18 people have died. A total of 21 people have died from home fires so far this year in Alabama. As a result, the state ranks in the top ten on a list of states with the highest number of deaths due to home fires.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about fire safety,” says Red Cross spokeswoman Alicia Anger. “For example, people often think they have anywhere between five and ten minutes to get out of the house during a fire. But through our research and through research with fire departments across the nation, you only have two minutes to escape a home fire.”

Anger says the majority of home fires occur in the kitchen when people are cooking. She adds that improper use of appliances like space heaters are also a big cause of home fires during the winter months.

Stephen Holmes with the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office said in an email today that the state just counted its 21st death due to a home fire this year. Combustible materials placed too close to a heat source resulted in the death of 62-year-old Ruby Carter. Her common-law husband, Donnie Lee Brown, was severely injured attempting to rescue Carter and remains hospitalized in Montgomery’s Jackson Hospital. No smoke detector/fire alarm were present in the home.

Alicia Anger says a lack of properly functioning smoke detectors/alarms in Alabama homes contributes significantly to the high number of deaths due to fire in the state.

 

Figures and Dobson are in a heated battle for a redrawn Alabama House district

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama voters will decide who will represent a congressional district that was redrawn after a lengthy legal battle that drew national attention and could provide a rare opportunity for Democrats to flip a seat in the Deep South. Democrat Shomari Figures, a former top aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, […]

A wild election is coming to a close — and no one is sure how it will end

From candidate swaps to assassination attempts, the final months of the campaign has been a whirlwind. Here's why the outcome is so consequential.

Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes can proceed, a Pennsylvania judge says

Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta in Pennsylvania — ruling after Musk’s lawyers said the winners are paid spokespeople and not chosen by chance — did not immediately explain his reasoning.

Puerto Rico holds general election that promises to be historic

Puerto Rico is holding elections that will be historic regardless of which of the top two gubernatorial candidates wins.

Boeing machinists approve contract, bringing an end to a bruising seven-week strike

Striking machinists voted to approve an agreement that will hike wages by 38%. The deal was endorsed by union leaders, who warned that Boeing’s next offer might be worse.

States and cities beef up security to prepare for potential election-related violence

Washington state's governor activated the National Guard to stand by to help local law enforcement as needed. Meanwhile, extra security is in place at locations across Washington, D.C.

More Front Page Coverage