Chicago sees drop in fire fatalities

The Chicago Fire Department says there were 17 fire deaths in 2008 in the city of Chicago, fewer than the 32 fire deaths in Chicago in 2007.

The 2008 figure was through Wednesday afternoon.

The fire department attributes the drop in fatalities to public education, training and additional equipment. While the number is just short of half the number of fire fatalities from the year before, Chicago fire commissioner John W. Brooks says that's not good enough.

Brooks says the department "will not be satisfied until there are no fire related deaths."