State fire investigators assisted local fire departments with 549 investigations in 2015. These took place in 88 counties around the state.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security says its investigators are often called upon by local fire departments to offer their expertise, especially for volunteer departments without their own investigators. Locally, state investigators were kept particularly busy in Starke County, where they helped local fire departments with more than 10 investigations over the course of the year.
The Department of Homeland Security says that throughout the state, the number of investigations increased during the colder months, peaking at 57 during the month of December. They encourage Hoosiers to prepare themselves ahead of time, noting that in more than 34 percent of their investigations, there was no evidence of a working smoke alarm.
For fire safety tips, visit GetPrepared.in.gov.
