The fires that occurred on Christmas Eve, celebrated on January 6 according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar, took the lives of two men. Mihai Harabagiu, head of the Department for Emergencies, told Info-Prim Neo that both men died in their homes. The first lethal accident occurred in Burlanesti village, district of Edinet. A man, 51, was found dead by his neighbours after the flames of a fire caused by a defective stove came into view. When the firemen arrived, the house was almost entirely damaged. The second accident took place in Visoca village, Soroca district. The flames destroyed completely the house of a single 62-year-old man. The fumes and the carbon monoxide caused by the fire took the life of the man. Harabagiu said the cause of the fire will be determined through lab tests. To prevent fires, Harabagiu recommends several safety rules: periodically clean chimneys and fireplaces; avoid using defective or unprofessionally installed electric heating systems and oversized fuses; periodically check them. Also, never throw burning cigarette butts and matches without making sure that they will not start fires; avoid setting open fires; keep flammables and igniters out of the reach of children; never leave children unsupervised in rooms where heaters and other domestic appliances are turned on, etc. The head of the Emergencies Department reminded the users of gas stoves to check faucets and turncocks for leaks, and make sure that they are turned off when people leave the house. Yesterday, 17 other fires were recorded in Moldova, including 3 in Chisinau.