Members of Long Hill Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 responded to two distinct fire situations on May 9th that officials characterized as near misses.

In one instance, an outlet sparked an electrical fire, and in the other, a kitchen burner caught fire. The Fire Marshal's Office is still looking into both instances.

The occurrences served as a reminder to department officials of the significance of having functional smoke detectors in residences. Nearly three out of five fire deaths happen in houses without working smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association.