BLAINE, Minn. – (Jan. 17, 2019) – 36 people died last year in fires in Minnesota, a 47 percent drop from 2017 when 68 people died, according to preliminary numbers from the Department of Public Safety.
Last year’s drop in fire deaths comes on the heels of a particularly deadly 2017, which saw the most fire deaths in Minnesota since 1995.
The leading cause of fatal fires last year in Minnesota was careless smoking, followed by cooking, and portable heaters, according to preliminary data.
Fires with still-unknown causes killed 20 people in 2018.
Fire officials encourage Minnesotans to make fire prevention in their homes a top priority along with creating a family escape plan and practicing it twice a year.
