The Chicago Sun Times
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The number of fire-related deaths in Chicago rose in 2006.
There were 42 fatalities in the last year, compared with 32 in 2005, according to figures released Monday by the Chicago Fire Department.
“It’s not just a situation of more fires, it’s a situation of more people dying in the fires we have, which stresses the need for smoke detectors,” said fire spokesman Larry Langford.
Those buildings with fatal fires either had no smoke detectors or devices that weren’t working, Langford added.
Most of the deaths were on the South Side, and many victims were children. March, when 10 people were killed, was the deadliest month.
Chicago fire fatalities hit nearly 200 in 1977.