LOUISVILLE, Ky. — LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – There have been at least three deadly fires across Kentuckiana in the last two months. Floyd County has seen two in the last two weeks, and there was one in Jefferson County in December.
In all three of these cases, investigators believe there were no working fire detectors in the home.
Louisville Metro Councilwoman Donna Purvis teamed up with Louisville Fire to do something about it in District 5.
She spent two hours on Saturday walking up and down Larkwood Avenue in the Shawnee neighborhood with fire fighters from Truck 4 and Engine 22 to hand out free smoke detectors.
They canvassed the same block where an elderly man died in December.
“I knew the individual that passed in the fire, and to hear that he passed from possibly not having a smoke detector really weighed heavy on my heart,” Purvis explained.
Within an hour, fire fighters installed at least seven smoke detectors.
“We're not writing fines, we're not doing official inspections, we're just trying to help the people out,” Major Philip Marchegion said.
Major Marchegion said houses and furniture are becoming more flammable.
“25, 30 years ago, you had about 15 minutes to get out of a house fire. Nowadays, it's closer to three to five,” he explained.
The Louisville Fire Department does inspections like this often across the city.
They will install smoke alarms to residents in the Urban Services District for free.
Test yours or contact 311 to request a free home safety check and smoke detector installation.
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