Tecumseh fire officials are reporting that there is a significant increase in fire-related deaths across Ontario so far this year.
They said there have been 71 fire-related deaths in the province in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 59 during the same period last year.
Tecumseh fire officials and fire officials across the province are reminding people to make sure their smoke alarms are working properly because most fatal fires occur at night when people are sleeping.
The Ontario Fire Marshal said there was no smoke alarm warning in one out of three fatal home fires and smoke alarms can increase your chances of surviving a fire by up to 50 per cent.
It is the law for all Ontario homes to have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. Fire officials added that smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years.
They also said that cooking is the number one cause of residential fires in Ontario and remind people to drink responsibly when cooking because alcohol is a factor in many home fires.
Fire Prevention Week runs until Saturday.