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Fire fatalities up over 2007
Feb. 1, 2008, Toronto, - Thirteen people have died in fires across Ontario in 2008 compared to six fire fatalities in January 2007, the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal said Thursday.
February 1, 2008
By Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal
Deputy Fire Marshal Doug Crawford is urging all Ontarians to install working smoke alarms in their homes following Monday's house fire on the Oneida First Nation near London, Ont., in which two people died and a third was injured.
"This is another tragedy that did not have to happen," said Crawford. "It is absolutely vital that everyone have working smoke alarms in their homes. Smoke alarms can save lives by providing occupants with the early warning required to escape a fire."
While the cause of Monday's fatal fire is still under investigation, investigators are confident there were no working smoke alarms in the home.
A woman confined to a wheelchair and her 18-year-old daughter died in the fire while a 17-year-old daughter was able to escape the blaze. The father remains in hospital.
It's the law in Ontario to have working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas of a home. Failure to comply with the fire code smoke alarm requirements can result in a ticket for $235 or a fine of up to $100,000.
Fire departments across the province are being urged to take a more aggressive approach to enforcing the smoke alarm requirements.
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