INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Fire Department is urging homeowners to install smoke alarms in their homes and for renters to urge their landlords to install smoke alarms following the sixth fire-related death in Indianapolis this month.
On Tuesday, a 60-year-old woman and her dog died in a house fire in the 1200 block of Irvington Avenue on the east side. Her death is the sixth of 2023.
In 2022, there were a total of six fire-related deaths all year.
2023 has already matched 2022 with the following deaths:
On Tuesday, IFD Fire Investigators confirmed there were no working smoke alarms installed in the house in the 1200 block of N Irvington Ave.
They found a working carbon monoxide detector and several purchased smoke alarms in their original packaging, however.
The fire was ruled accidental with the cause being electrical.
IFD Public Information Officer Rita Reith shared the department's concerns over the tragic trend they have seen in the IFD district. In three of the fires, where a total of five people died, no working smoke alarms were found in the structure.
"The IFD believes that one fire fatality in our district is one too many," Reith said. "The fact that we have had six fire fatalities in one month ... is very concerning to us."
IFD wants the community to know there is help in obtaining and having smoke alarms installed.
"Contact us please. We're there for you. We'll help you install them; we'll look at the ones in your home. We'll help you with your safety plan — knowing how to get out of your home [and] having a plan of where your children will meet at," IFD Division Chief Michael Beard said.
If you live in the IFD service district and need a smoke alarm, you can request one here. You can also contact IFD with questions or concerns.
Beard says having working smoke detectors can decrease the risk of fire-related death by half.
“The main reason people die in fires is smoke inhalation because it's what gets through the home and incapacitates the people inside the home before the fire actually reaches you. So you may not be burning, but the smoke is what gets you. Smoke alarms will alert you to that, even if you’re sleeping," Beard said.
Per the city ordinance passed in April 2014, each home is required to have one 10-year sealed battery smoke alarm per floor. The NFPA recommends one smoke alarm outside each sleeping room as well.
If requested, the IFD will install a 10-year sealed lithium battery smoke alarm. Alarms for those who are deaf or hard of hearing are available as well.
"Our goal is to keep people safe, to save the lives of our community," Beard said. "Put your smoke alarms in, test them monthly and make sure that they meet the manufacturer's requirements."
-
Indiana migration balanced for second year in a row
For the second year in a row, the number of people moving into and out of Indiana is greater than the number of people leaving.
Future of I-65, I-70: INDOT concludes ProPEL Indy study
I-65 and I-70 are two of the main ways to get in and around the Indy metro. The city's transportation network is due for a major revamp in the coming years.
IMPD specialized teams recover nearly 2,000 guns in 2025
Newly released numbers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department highlight the significant impact of specialized teams working to reduce violent crime across the Circle City.
Carmel Police roll out new tech to protect officers during traffic stops
The Carmel police are introducing new technology to protect officers during traffic stops, following a weekend when three Indiana State Police vehicles were struck while parked on the roadside.
