AUGUSTA, Maine — Following a week that saw the deaths of four Mainers in three fatal fires, Maine fire officials on Thursday urged Mainers Maine to take precautions to ensure they don't experience a similar tragedy.
House fires in Camden, Farmington, and Lincoln killed two adults, a teenager, and a child.
On Thursday, fire chiefs from those communities joined Maine State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas to urge people not to remain complacent.
"These are tragedies people don't have to experience," Thomas said Thursday morning outside the Department of Public Safety in Augusta. "It can be stopped but we as a society have accepted the fact that fires happen and people die, and we don't have to."
Thomas says people need to be aware of their surroundings and safety hazards that may be in their home. And they must have working smoke detectors.
"The reality is the only chance you've got is an early warning and that early warning is a smoke detector," said Thomas.
Joining Thomas at the Department of Public Safety was Lincoln Fire Chief Les Brown, Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley, and Farmington Fire Chief Terry Bell.
"There is no reason you should not have a working smoke detector that can give you the chance to get out and it's unfortunate it didn't this last weekend," said Bell.
Thomas is also warning people how fires have changed over the years. More man-made materials in our home mean people have less time to escape.
"We're seeing flashover in 3 to 4 minutes. 3 to 4 minutes now, that is not much time for somebody to get out of a home if there is a fire" said Thomas.
Thomas who has been in the fire service for more than 40 years says he's still delivering the same message.
"It's almost demoralizing. As long as we've been doing this we're still losing people in fires when we don't have to."
It's why these fire officials are making a passionate plea to Mainers---all in an effort to keep them and their families safe,
"We need people to become aware of hazards in their home that can and do cause fire," said Thomas.
And if a fire does happen people need to have an escape plan and a meeting place.
Seven-year-old Adele Parent died Feb. 22 after she was trapped in a room in her home on Taylor Street in Lincoln.
Maine state police said in addition to recent wiring not to code, a plastic kerosene container failed and fuel seeped from a converted attic bedroom space into the child's closet.
Five minutes after the fire was reported, firefighters arrived to see 30-foot flames emerging from the building, firefighters said at the time.
Two days later, 14-year-old Theodore Hedstrom died in fire at his home on the corner of Mt. Battie and Blake streets in Camden.
Three people were inside the home when the fire broke out, state police said at the time. In addition to Hedstrom, one adult was critically injured while trying to reach the teen and was taken to Maine Medical Center.
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Police believe a new dryer recently installed in the home may have contributed to the fire.
Then early Saturday morning, 75-year-old William Vincent and 72-year-old Tomosa Vincent died following a fire on Clover Mills Road in Farmington.
Investigators said the fire was caused by combustible material placed next to a woodstove.
On Tuesday, two people were taken to a hospital following a two-alarm fire at a home in Casco.
Fire departments in Camden, Rockland, and Rockport have undertaken a new home safety initiative designed to increase awareness of fire prevention efforts including making sure each home in the three communities has working smoke alarms on every level of, inside each bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and around appliances that produce carbon monoxide.
A donation from the Camden Rotary Foundation has provided funds for the departments to provide equipment if needed, and fire officials are available to help install equipment, plan exit drills and survey life safety issues, according to a release.