Every year in the United States, about 2,000 people die in residential fires. In a fire, smoke and deadly gases tend to spread farther and faster than heat. The Richmond City Police Department wants to remind residents to check fire alarms and safety routes in their homes. “Every time there is a house fire incident that takes lives, we want to spread fire hazard and safety information,” said Richmond Interim Police Chief Scott Bagley. “Check them monthly because it is one of few things that can help in a house fire case.” That’s one reason most fire victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not from burns. The majority of fatal fires happen when families are asleep because occupants are unaware of the fire until there is no adequate time to escape, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). A smoke alarm stands guard around the clock and when it first senses smoke, it sounds a shrill alarm. This often allows a family the precious, but limited, time…