Officials: 108 Fire Deaths in Ohio so Far This Year

The state fire marshal’s office says 108 people have been killed in fires around Ohio so far this year.

Last year, the office said Ohio had 115 fire fatalities.

Fire Marshal Larry Flowers says it’s important that Ohioans be vigilant about fire safety heading into what are typically the coldest months. He says above-average temperatures this month means Ohioans were relying less on home heating sources, but that’s likely to change during winter.

He says residents should plug space heaters directly into a wall and turn heaters off when leaving a room.

He also urges people not to block escape routes or overload electrical outlets and extension cords as they put up holiday decorations. He says live Christmas trees should be as fresh as possible and should be watered daily.