diff --git a/src/mat73.c b/src/mat73.c
index fe0cef0a..01bebc67 100644
--- a/src/mat73.c
+++ b/src/mat73.c
@@ -2664,15 +2664,13 @@ int
 Mat_VarRead73(mat_t *mat, matvar_t *matvar)
 {
     int err = MATIO_E_NO_ERROR;
-    hid_t fid, dset_id, ref_id;
+    hid_t dset_id, ref_id;
 
     if ( NULL == mat || NULL == matvar )
         return MATIO_E_BAD_ARGUMENT;
     else if ( matvar->internal->id < 0 )
         return MATIO_E_FAIL_TO_IDENTIFY;
 
-    fid = *(hid_t *)mat->fp;
-
     switch ( matvar->class_type ) {
         case MAT_C_DOUBLE:
         case MAT_C_SINGLE:
@@ -2974,7 +2972,7 @@ Mat_VarReadData73(mat_t *mat, matvar_t *matvar, void *data, const int *start, co
                   const int *edge)
 {
     int err = MATIO_E_NO_ERROR, k;
-    hid_t fid, dset_id, ref_id, dset_space, mem_space;
+    hid_t dset_id, ref_id, dset_space, mem_space;
     hsize_t *dset_start_stride_edge;
     hsize_t *dset_start, *dset_stride, *dset_edge;
 
@@ -2984,8 +2982,6 @@ Mat_VarReadData73(mat_t *mat, matvar_t *matvar, void *data, const int *start, co
     else if ( matvar->internal->id < 0 )
         return MATIO_E_FAIL_TO_IDENTIFY;
 
-    fid = *(hid_t *)mat->fp;
-
     dset_start_stride_edge = (hsize_t *)malloc(matvar->rank * 3 * sizeof(hsize_t));
     if ( NULL == dset_start_stride_edge ) {
         return MATIO_E_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
@@ -3061,7 +3057,7 @@ int
 Mat_VarReadDataLinear73(mat_t *mat, matvar_t *matvar, void *data, int start, int stride, int edge)
 {
     int err = MATIO_E_NO_ERROR, k;
-    hid_t fid, dset_id, dset_space, mem_space;
+    hid_t dset_id, dset_space, mem_space;
     hsize_t *points, dset_edge, *dimp;
 
     if ( NULL == mat || NULL == matvar || NULL == data )
@@ -3069,8 +3065,6 @@ Mat_VarReadDataLinear73(mat_t *mat, matvar_t *matvar, void *data, int start, int
     else if ( matvar->internal->id < 0 )
         return MATIO_E_FAIL_TO_IDENTIFY;
 
-    fid = *(hid_t *)mat->fp;
-
     dset_edge = edge;
     mem_space = H5Screate_simple(1, &dset_edge, NULL);