Frances Gehling, 63, and Rebecca Gehling, believed to be in her 20s, both of Londonderry, NH were killed in a two-alarm fire at their home early Wednesday morning just before 4:30am. The fire completely destroyed the Hemlock Street home where the family lived, according to The Eagle Tribune.
Frances and her husband, John, lived in the home along with their 2 children, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. All of the family members except for Frances and Rebecca were able to escape the fire and were treated at an area hospital for burns and inhaling smoke from the fire. Firefighters had attempted to rescue the 2 women but the home was entirely engulfed in flames by the time they responded just minutes after the call came in. The second floor of the home collapsed at some point during the fire. The fire was under control an hour after it began, with help from local fire departments. The closest fire hydrant was reportedly 1,000 feet away from the location of the home, making it difficult to manage the water supply to douse the flames.
The cause of the fatal fire has yet to be determined by officials handling the investigation. As of now, they do not believe that the fire was suspicious. It is unknown if the house had smoke detectors.
Deadly House Fire Statistics
Smoke detectors can make a significant difference in both fire prevention and awareness in the event of a house fire. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), it is estimated that there are either no smoke detectors or working detectors in 2/3 of all deadly fires that occur in residences across the U.S.
In 2006, it was discovered that there were no smoke detectors at all within the home in 40% of house fire fatalities. In 23% of deadly residential fires, there were smoke alarms but they were not functioning properly and failed to sound any alarm to alert occupants within the home. Smoke detectors should be checked at least twice a year to ensure that they are working properly in the event of a fire.
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