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Spate of fatal fires prompts Fire Marshal to issue safety reminders

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Reporter | Mar 24, 2023

(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) Fire and police officials exit the Leda Avenue home shortly after crews rescued an elderly man who later succumbed to injuries.

CONCORD — Seven people, most of them senior citizens, have lost their lives in fires so far this year, a concerning number when compared with 2022, when just nine fire fatalities were recorded for the entire year.

According to state Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey, six of this year’s deaths were the result of house fires, while one person died in a vehicle fire. In all cases except one, investigators were unable to verify whether the homes had any working smoke alarms.

The exception was the Jan. 8 fire in the North Country town of Woodstock, but officials can only confirm that the building may have had working smoke alarms.

One of the fatal fires occurred in the Greater Nashua region, when flames swept through a mobile home at 11 Leisure Way in Milford.

The fire broke out just before midnight Jan. 20. The lone occupant, Patrick J. Walsh Jr., 65, an avid skier and longtime Manchester car dealer, died of smoke inhalation, according to officials.

The most recent of the six fatal house fires broke out at about 3 a.m. Wednesday at 360 Leda Avenue in Manchester. The lone occupant of the house, an 83-year-old man, was said to be unresponsive and not breathing when firefighters rescued him. He succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

A Jan. 5 fire in the Sullivan County town of Langdon claimed the life of a woman, who, at age 29, was the only one of the six victims under age 65.

The Woodstock fire claimed the life of a 73-year-old man, while a fire that broke out at about 1 a.m. March 7 in the Cheshire County town of Surry left one man dead.

On March 13, a Barnstead woman, age 72, died in a fire that broke out at about 3:30 a.m.

According to Toomey, the state Fire Marshal, statistics compiled by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) show that the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.

Nationally, half of home fires occur when people are sleeping. So far in New Hampshire this year, all except one took place between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Toomey issued a reminder to all residents and visitors of the importance of having working smoke alarms in their homes. Homeowners should ensure they have alarms installed and test them regularly, preferably once a month, to make sure they are working properly.

In the event of an alarm activation or visible smoke or fire, residents should immediately exit their home and call 911. Occupants of all homes are urged to keep exits clear and accessible at all times, and to make sure they have a home fire escape plan. Anyone who has questions about fire safety in their home should contact their local fire department, or contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office at 223-4289, or go to www.firemarshal.dos.nh.gov.

Toomey also provided the following checklist titled “Top 5 Smoke Alarm Safety Things to Know.”

* Smoke alarms should be located inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement

* Components of the alarms will deteriorate over time and can only be expected to work effectively within 10 years of their date of manufacture. Replace smoke alarms that are older than 10 years

* Interconnected alarms are best. Wireless is an acceptable option

* Hard-wired smoke alarms should have battery back-up in case there is a power outage

* Battery powered smoke alarms should be changed twice a year. A 10-year sealed battery is preferred.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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