CHINATOWN — The FDNY recorded the fewest fire-related deaths ever in 2016, officials said Monday.
There were 48 fire fatalities last year, compared to 59 in 2015 and a record-high 310 in 1970, according to the fire department. The leading causes of fatal blazes were electrical problems and people smoking in their apartments.
"2016 saw the fewest fire deaths in New York City in any year since stats were first kept, going all the way back to 1916," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference at the FDNY Chinatown firehouse.
"This is amazing by any measure."
Officials credited the record, in part, on faster response times.
The city added 134 ambulance tours last year, reducing the wait time for medical emergencies by 21 seconds and for fires by five seconds, according to the mayor.
The agency also credited their "Get Alarmed" fire safety trainings with getting working smoke alarms in thousands of more homes, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
"Fires overall decreased and that’s great news," Nigro added. "It means education, inspections are keeping the city safer."
Officials said the leading cause of fatal fires were caused by electrical issues, like plugging too many power strips into a socket.
Nigro urged city residents to make sure all their strips were "UL" approved, which means they can properly protect against electrical surges.
The commissioner also said people should never use their stoves for heat, even during frigid winter days, and turn off space heaters before going to bed.
"There’s a tendency, we want to all say warm, but also more importantly you need to stay alive," Nigro said.
