LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Crews at the Okolona Fire Department have responded to two fatal house fires within a 24 hour time frame.
Louisville firefighters have been quite busy, and as the temperatures continue to drop, the fire risks can go up.
"They roll out the door all the time," Frankie Malley, a Louisville Fire marshal in Okolona, said.
Crews at Engine 78 barely had enough time to get clean before getting called to another fire.
"It's been busy two days for these guys," Malley said.
Just before 4:30 p.m. Friday, firefighters responded to a house fire on Beargrass Avenue, just off Bardstown Road in Buechel. One person is in critical condition and another made it out unharmed.
About six hours later, the same crew responded to a deadly fire near Popular Level Road in the Newburg area. Then, Saturday morning, kitchen grease caught fire, displacing five people in the Shawnee neighborhood.
"It's just little safety things they could do," Malley said.
The US Fire Administration said cooking is, by far, the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
"Turn off the burner and either use baking soda to cover it up, use the fire extinguisher the right away -- you can't point it right into the grease because it will splatter everywhere. Or, just put a lid on it. The lid will cover it up. The lid actually suffocates it and takes away its' oxygen and suffocates it out," Malley said.
Malley said never pour water on a grease fire. He also said you need to routinely get your fireplace and wood burning stoves cleaned professionally.
"You have to get them cleaned out or they can cause problems," Malley said.
In addition, don't over run power strips, don't sit space heaters too close to things/turn them off, and get your smoke detectors tested.
Five people were displaced in the Shawnee neighborhood after a grease fire on Jan. 6, 2024. (WDRB photo)
"Always test it. Everyone thinks they have a 10-year-one, I don't need to test that one. Still test it even though it is a 10-year and something could go wrong and then you don't have a smoke detector," Malley said.
In January 2021, The National Fire Protection Association reported the risk of dying in reported home structure fires is 55% lower in homes with working smoke detectors.
"A lot of people that die in house fires are found near the exit because they are trying to get out," Malley said. "But that is because it was last minute and they didn't know about it. The detector actually warns you ahead of time and gets you the chance to get out."
Malley said each bedroom and every floor of your home needs a working smoke detector.
If you need a smoke detector, call the nearest fire station. A firefighter will go to your house and install it for you for free.
"In my house, I have one in every bedroom, and I have one in the hallway that leads down to the bedroom because that's where I feel it's safe to have them; and another thing when it comes to smoke detectors, close your door," Malley said. "Bedroom doors being closed save so many lives because there are all kinds of pictures ... the bedroom door is closed and you couldn't tell there was a fire in the house, versus the bedroom door is open, the fire has a path right to your bedroom."
Homeowners should also have a working carbon monoxide detector near all gas appliances.
"We just want you to be safe and if any of these tips help that would be great," Malley said.
You can reach the Okolona Fire Department by calling (502) 964-5111. It's located at 8501 Preston Highway Louisville, Kentucky 40219.
For more fire prevention safety tips, click here.
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