Several states report a sharp rise in fire-related deaths. In Missouri, numbers for the first half of 2009 have almost passed up last year's total.

Fire officials want people to get a head start putting out the flames before another life is lost.

Fire killed two young Holts Summit girls in January. In April, the community lost three more children when a home burned. In Booneville, a Columbia man died in a house fire just this Wednesday.

It's a pattern Missouri State Assistant Fire Marshal Greg Carrell doesn't like.

"What we're finding is a trend that looks like fatalities may be on the rise," Carrell said.

He said these deaths in mid-Missouri are among 50 across the state in just the first half of 2009. Officials looked into 60 deaths in 2008.

"One troubling figure we're in what we've investigated and been made aware of is child fatalities," Carrell said.

Holts Summit alone mourns the deaths of five children. Statewide, the number is 14 so far this year. That's up from the total of 12 in 2008.

As officials investigate the rising number of fatal fires, Carrell says promoting basic fire safety is key.

"No one wants to go through a tragic event," Carrell said. "If we can save it by doing something simple like making a plan and making sure our batteries in our smoke detectors are good and that we know how to get out of the house, it just makes good common sense."

Carrell encourages people to double-check smoke detectors and make an escape plan.

It's something Shirley Bishop takes seriously. She has a smoke detector in nearly every room of her Columbia home and she checks them regularly.

"You never know when something's going to spark in your house, if you're going to have a fire," Bishop said.

In the event of a fire, officials stress including a meeting place in your escape plan. They feel this is especially important with small children.

Reported by Holly Brantley