State Fire Marshal says working smoke alarms can help prevent death in fires

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY)– The state Fire Marshal, Brian Taylor, is sounding the Alarm about fire deaths. Taylor says as of February 17th, 27 people have already died in Fires.

Last year, two people died in a house fire in Shallote. Taylor says that in 2025, 159 people lost their lives in fires in North Carolina, with a significant amount of the victims being 65 years and older.

Taylor thinks many senior citizens lives in homes that have older materials.

“Fire burns much hotter and faster today. 30 years ago, you would have had 12 minutes to evacuate. Today, you have about
2 minutes,” said Taylor. “The combustibles some people may have, and the synthetics and stuff that furniture’s are made of, they burn so much hotter and faster today.”

Taylor says tells residents to install working smoke detector in each level of your home, especially the bedroom. Taylor says working smoke alarms can help prevent death and can give families precious seconds they need to survive.