Fire Marshall Talks Tips for Fire Prevention Awareness

ST. CLOUD -- Clean your dryer vents, replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and properly discard all smoking materials. These are some of the tips as we enter Fire Prevention Awareness Week.

Sauk Rapids Fire Marshall Jason Flemming says cooking fires are the leading cause of residential fires so it's important to never leave the stove unattended. Older gas stoves can also be a recipe for gas explosions if the pilot light goes out.

Flemming says burning candles are also a top contributor to home fires.

He says it vitally important to not only change the batteries in your smoke detector, but to leave them in and not take them out for children's toys or because of burned food. He says smoke detectors save lives.

Flemming says remember to develop an escape plan and practice it with your family.