Five years ago this month, a family of six lost their lives in a fatal fire in Trion and the anniversary of that tragedy is a good time for area residents to consider home-fire safety.

In late-October of 2016, a house fire took the lives Miron Bradley Jones, 29; Demi Josephine Jones, 22; Clair McKenzie Jones, 5; Lola Rosanna Jones, 3; Olivia Josephina Jones, 3 months; and Jada Marie Kendrick, 5.  According to reports at the time, Miron and Demi, the parents of the children, died while trying to rescue their children from the flames.  The fire was caused by improper installation of a wood stove heater, according to the state fire marshal.  The wood heater was installed in a mobile home the day before the fatal fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nine of the top-ten states for fatal house fires are in the South and include Georgia.

It is extremely important that all homes have their heating systems inspected and in good working order before the onset of cold-weather.  If you use space heaters, be sure to always observe proper clearances to combustible materials.

Heating with wood is common in our area, but if you choose to heat with wood, make sure that your wood stove is properly installed and that all fireplaces are in good working order.  Be sure to clean and inspect flues and chimneys each year.

Every home should have a working smoke detector and the batteries should be replaced twice every year.  Statistics show that the majority of fire fatalities come from homes without working smoke detectors.