TULSA, Okla. — Two people died, a day apart, in two separate Tulsa fires, according to Tulsa Fire Department. It is a situation that Tulsa fire crews aim to prevent.

“Especially for the firefighters who respond it’s tragic because, you know, we want to make a difference. We want to be able to help people and keep people safe. When we’re unable to do that because of circumstances out of our control, it’s difficult,” said Andy Little, Public Information Officer with Tulsa Fire Department.

On Monday, Feb. 13, just after midnight, fire crews found a woman dead inside the Astoria Pointe Apartments near East 31st Street and 129th East Avenue.

Fire crews said the cause is accidental and that a cigarette wasn’t put out properly. When fire crews got to that smoke-filled apartment, they said the fire had smothered itself.

No other apartment units were impacted, according to firefighters.

The other recent deadly fire happened Sunday, Feb. 12, around 5:30 a.m.

“l looked out the back window and I saw flames coming out the top of the house and out the back,” said neighbor Willie Carr.

Crews pulled a man from a house near East Apache Street and MLK Jr. Boulevard in north Tulsa. EMSA transported him with serious injuries.

FOX23 learned Monday morning that the man died.

Carr said he saw his neighbor just days earlier.

“I drove by and honked the horn, and he threw his hand up, and I threw my hand up. But if I’d known that was the last time I was going to see him, I would have stopped and pulled over and talked to him,” Carr said.

After deadly fires happen, Tulsa fire crews hit the streets.

They knock on doors in the neighborhood to make sure residents in the area have working smoke detectors.

“When we knock on those doors, we can tell Tulsans, ‘someone in your neighborhood died’ and that just seems to hit home a little more,” Little said.

TFD installs smoke detectors at no cost.

“Our whole goal is to save lives, educate the public and change behaviors,” Little added.

“I got smoke detectors in each room and in the hallway. You got to have those. If you don’t have those, this is what could happen,” said Carr, as he motioned to the fire-damaged house.

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