UPPER DARBY – Volunteers from the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania distributed fire safety packets Sunday to about 100 homes in the neighborhood where a fatal fire occurred last week.
The Delaware County Disaster Action Team hung packets stuffed with safety information and nine-bolt batteries along Westwood Lane and Thorndale and Surrey roads. A 78-year-old man died in his Westwood Lane home Thursday in a fire authorities believe was caused by a malfunctioning kerosene heater.
‘We do this any time there is a fatal fire,’ said Drew Alexander, captain of the disaster action team. ‘We always do a fire safety walkthrough afterward.’
The safety packets included a fire prevention checklist, a pamphlet on creating fire emergency plans and information on homeowners and renters insurance. The packets also included a nine-bolt battery for a smoke detector.
‘It’s kind of a tool to get people thinking ahead of it,’ Alexander said.
Alexander warned people to particularly be cautious using space heaters. He encouraged people to apply common sense and keep space heaters away from flammable materials.
‘This time of year, that’s the biggest thing,’ Alexander said.
The fire Thursday claimed the life of Edwin Duncan, who became entrapped as the flames burned through his two-story home. Authorities said the blaze appeared to be accidental and noted several space heaters were found inside of the house.
It was the second weather-related death in Upper Darby in less than a week.
A 32-year-old North Carolina man died Jan. 19 from carbon monoxide poisoning while refurbishing a rental property on the 500 block of Hillshire Road. Kyle Devero, of Durham, N.C., and the property owner were preparing the house for the next renter. The owner left for several hours and returned to find Devero dead.
A gas generator had been used inside of the house to run a space heater and carbon monoxide levels were four or five times normal levels, police said.
Volunteers from Red Paw Emergency Relief Team also assisted with the distribution of fire safety packets.
