YORK COUNTY, Pa. — On Monday at about 5:18 p.m., officials responded to a house fire at 23 Juniper Road in Peach Bottom Township, York County.
A few hours earlier, just 50 miles away, another fire had broken out in a home at 1350 Round Top Road in Warrington Township, York County.
The fires separately took the lives of a man and a woman in their 70s. First responders say there are steps you can take in order to prevent a tragedy from happening.
The first is making sure you have working smoke detectors.
“That will give you that early alert, so you can actually get out of the house," said Chief William H. Sleeger, with the Department of Fire/Rescue services in York.
The second is to know how to properly use and keep track of household items used for heating.
“You just have to be careful with your stoves, your furnaces, anything like that emits heat, space heaters are a big thing," said Sleeger.
First responders say the biggest misconception people have is thinking they have plenty of time to get out. They say you have anywhere between three to four minutes to get out of a burning building.
Sleeger says everyone should have a plan in place if a fire ever breaks out. There are several important questions residents should be able to answer when facing a fire.
“How would you get out of your house? Where would you go? Your meeting place," said Sleeger.
Both fires are still being investigated by fire marshalls.