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Two fire deaths in 2000, down from five in '99 Two people died in two house fires in Jackson County in 2000, down from five fire-fatalities recorded the year before. Sean Harrington, 10, died in a January 2000 fire that also injured his baby sister, Hannah, and his mother, Diana. Fire officials attributed the blaze to an unattended candle in the Butte Falls Highway home. Faulty wiring was the likely cause of a fire in December that killed Mabel Ishiguro Urano, a 76-year-old woman who lived alone on North Phoenix Road. Across the state, 40 people died in fires in 2000. Of those, 34 died in their homes, four fatalities were in vehicles and two were in non-residential buildings. The figures are slightly up from 1999, when 31 people died statewide in fires. Locally, in 1999, five people died in four house fires. Two of the house fires were caused by faulty wiring, one by careless smoking. Fire officials were unable to determine what ignited the fourth blaze. State fire officials say most fires are preventable. "Oregonians must take responsibility for fire prevention," said state Fire Marshal Robert Garrison. "Taking just a few simple precautions can mean the difference between life and death." To keep families safe, Garrison urges residents to follow these tips: Install and maintain smoke alarms on every level of a home, outside each sleeping area and in every bedroom. Make a home escape plan and practice it twice a year. Keep clothing, furnishings and other combustible items away from all heat sources. Keep matches and lighters away from children. Consider a home fire sprinkler system for increased protection. For more information on fire safety, visit the State Fire Marshal�s office at www.sfm.state.or.us on the Internet. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.