What to know about smoke detector safety in the wake of Chicago fire that killed 8

You should test smoke alarms once a month and change your alarms twice a year.

By
Emily Shapiro
August 27, 2018, 2:26 PM ET
6 min read

No working smoke detectors were in a Chicago home where a fire erupted this weekend, killing eight young people, according to the mayor's office.

All of the victims are 16 years old or younger, the family told ABC station WLS in Chicago.

Two teenagers were also hospitalized in critical condition, according to WLS.

"The fire began in the rear and the exit to the front was clear but without working smoke detectors the occupants were not awakened in time to get to safety," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement Sunday. "Our thoughts go out to not only the families of those who perished but to members of the department who pushed as hard as possible to reverse the deadly fate of the eight who are now gone."

Home fires kill seven Americans every day, according to the Red Cross, and 36 people are injured daily from them.

As the two Chicago survivors fight for their lives, here are some key smoke detector safety tips to keep in mind at your own home.

(MORE: Bronx fire survivors climbed through windows, huddled on fire escape in frigid air)

Every family should have a working smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, Lt. Anthony Mancuso of the New York City Fire Department told "Good Morning America" last year.

You should test your alarms once a month; that sound will let your family know what to expect in a real fire, he said.

You should change your smoke alarms twice a year when you change your clock, Mancuso said.

(MORE: Can children sleep through a smoke detector alarm?)

Alarms should be installed where you sleep and on every level of your home, including basements, according to the FDNY.

Alarms should be on the ceiling, preferably near the center of the room, but not less than four inches from a wall. If the alarm needs to be on a wall, it should be between four and 12 inches from the ceiling, the FDNY said.

Special alarms should be installed for those who are hard of hearing or deaf, the FDNY said.

In the event of a fire, "everyone should have a working plan," Mancuso added. "Have a meeting place. Know where you're going [and have] two ways out. Know what type of building you live in."

ABC News' Kelly McCarthy contributed to this report.