DC homeowners can get a smoke alarm for free by calling 311.
WASHINGTON — A woman is dead after a fire at a rowhome in Southeast D.C. last week. Fire investigators believe the fire was sparked by an overloaded electrical circuit.
Firefighters were first called to the 700 block of G Street Southeast, not far from the National Portrait Gallery, on Friday night just before 9 p.m. Crews worked quickly to bring the fire under control, however a woman was injured and taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition. She later died from her injuries. She has not yet been identified by authorities.
Crews were back in the neighborhood on Monday, spreading a message of fire safety. Fire and rescue crews worked to check smoke alarms, and install them for free where needed.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, home fires occur more in the winter months than any other season. Half of all home heating fires occur in December, January and February, and one in every seven home fires involve heating equipment.
If you are a D.C. homeowner and need a smoke alarm, you can get one for free by dialing 311.
Here are some tips to stay fire smart during the winter:
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.
- Keep portable generators outside, away from windows, and as far away from your home as possible.
- Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.
- Plug only one heat-producing appliance (like a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
- Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.
- Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container, and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home and any nearby buildings.