Chattanooga Fire Department reports no fire-related deaths in city last year

photo Chattanooga Fire Chief Randy Parker

Nobody in Chattanooga died in a fire-related death last year, the city's fire department announced today.

Fire Chief Randy Parker said that, in part, nobody died in 2012 because the department educated residents about how to prevent fires. But Parker also added that some fires can't be prevented and that last year might have been lucky.

"We always strive to prevent all fire fatalities in Chattanooga, but we're usually disappointed," Parker said in a news release. "This is obviously good news for us and the city we serve."

Most fire-related deaths happen before firefighters arrive on the scene, according to the news release, because of heat and toxic smoke. In 2011, eight people died from fires in Chattanooga. The year before, three people died.

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