Deaths caused by fires in the state are up 33 percent in 2017 over the previous year, the State Fire Marshal's Office said via Twitter.
Preliminary numbers show that so far this year 48 people have died in fires. That's 12 more than the 36 who died in fires in 2016.
Most recently, a 66-year-old man died during a house fire on the 3300 block of Halifax Avenue North Saturday night, authorities said.
In publicizing the increase in fatalities this year, the Fire Marshal's office also published a list of winter safety tips as the holiday season approaches.