Smoke detectors save lives, and the Danville Fire Department would like to see more use of them. Danville Fire Chief Aaron Marcott told the Public Services Committee Tuesday that a recent fire death was in a residence with no smoke detector

A grant the department recently got will help them pay for some smoke detectors. Firefighters are hoping to have a big campaign this summer to make people more aware of smoke detectors and get more of them installed.

The discussion of fires brought up the subject of demolishing fire damaged buildings. Several aldermen expressed concern that such structures were not take down more quickly.

Mayor Rickey Williams says that an unsafe building can be taken down as firefighters battle a blaze. But if a house survives the fire, then the city must jump through complicated legal hoops.

Unfortunately, the legal battle can last years. Police and fire officials are currently investigating several recent suspicious fires.