March 10--An unusual spike in fire fatalities has prompted the Houston Fire Department to review three blazes that killed five people over four days this weekend.
"This is the first time I've seen a span with this many fatalities this close together," Capt. Ruy Lozano said. "That's why we're looking to try to see if there's any awareness campaigns we need to do."
The uptick seems to have started Thursday when three bodies were recovered from the leveled and gutted remains of a two-story house in the 500 block of Westmont near Cloverleaf. The next night, a 68-year-old man was killed in a house fire in the 200 block of Caplin near the North Loop and Interstate 45. At about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, firefighters were called to a home in the 3500 block of Seabrook in South Houston, where they battled the blaze for more than two hours and found one body.
The department's Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire, but the release said foul play does not seem to be involved.
Also, a Conroe woman suffered severe burns in an apartment fire Sunday morning. The 49-year-old victim was treated for first-, second- and third- degree burns to her face, hands and chest at Memorial Hermann Hospital.
Although cold weather typically leads to an increase in fire-related calls as more people turn on the heat, Lozano said he did not know if the recent drop in mercury had any connection to the recent deaths. He said he has requested copies of reports on the causes and origins of each fire to confirm whether there are any ties.
Lozano suggested area residents could reinforce the good habit of checking and changing fire alarm batteries by doing it whenever they change clocks during daylight saving time. He also encouraged people to replace their smoke detector if it's older than five years, noting many new models do not require battery replacement and can last up to 10 years.
He also said it was important to create an evacuation plan and make sure everyone in the house, particularly children, know what they should do and where to meet in an emergency.
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