Three house fires in King, and only one had smoke alarms

Three residential fires in King in the first 11 days of 2008 is three too many.

That is the opinion of Township Fire Chief Bryan Burbidge.

The latest fire, he reported, was at 7:44 Friday morning at a house in the Schomberg area. There has also been a fire at another house in Schomberg, but Burbidge said that might have been unavoidable because of a lightning strike. The other fire was at a home near King City.

"This is unacceptable!" he declared.

He added the three incidents have resulted in $350,000 in structural damage to the homes involved, and some $700,000 in contents that were lost. In some cases, this involved cherished or priceless belongings that have been lost forever.

The chief stated only one of these homes had working smoke alarms, but they were not installed according to the Ontario Fire Code, and one had alarms that were still inside their shipping carton.

He pointed out the Ontario Fire Code requires that smoke alarms be installed near all sleeping areas in a home, and on each storey of a dwelling unit that does not contain a sleeping area. The penalties for noncompliance of smoke alarm requirements include a fine of $235 fine under the Provincial Offences Act; or a maximum $25,000 fine or up to one year in jail or both for individuals, and a maximum $50,000 fine for corporations. Burbidge pointed out the $235 fine is the same as one would receive for a minor speeding infraction, but in a case like that, drivers might get a second chance. When it comes to a home without working alarms, they might not get that chance.

Statistics from the Office of the Fire Marshal indicate that in about 50 per cent of fatal home fires that occurred in Ontario, the victims had no smoke alarm warning.

There have been four fire deaths in Ontario so far in 2008, Burbidge said.

"This is the kind of education we have to get out," he remarked. "A smoke alarm is your early warning and your chance to get out."

King Fire and Emergency Services urges you to install a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, clean, test and maintain your smoke alarm monthly (or more frequently), change the batteries twice a year. If your home is equipped with a hard wired (wired direct) alarm, install battery operated units as a back up in case of a power failure. Know two ways out of your home, practice your escape routes with your family and practice fire safety.

Smoke alarms can be purchased for as little as $7 and Burbidge urged people to consider what the value is of themselves, their families and loved ones.