In the wake of the house fire that killed five people on Christmas in Stamford, fire officials from across the state are calling on residents to review standard fire prevention tips. All homes should be equipped with properly functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, firefighters say, and the batteries should be changed twice each year. Those devices can give residents the precious seconds needed to escape and call for help in an emergency. Fire officials advise that when homeowners clean out their fireplaces, they should put ashes and embers into a metal container and store it at least 10 feet away from their homes. They say residents who leave ashes in the fireplace should install a glass or metal partition and make sure it's sealed tight. Firefighters also recommend that families plan safety escape routes and designate a meeting spot ahead of time.On Christmas morning, a house fire in Stamford was sparked by fireplace embers that hadn't been properly disposed of, investigators say.

Lily Badger, 10, and her 7-year-old twin sisters, Grace and Sarah Badger, all died of smoke inhalation. The girls' grandparents were also killed in the fire. Their mother and her male friend managed to escape.

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