Vancouver fire chief gives prevention tips after 2 fatal blazes in 48 hours

VANCOUVER -

It's been a devastating couple of weeks for fire crews in Vancouver after responding to two fatal blazes in the city over a span of just two days.

On Jan. 30, a fire at an East Vancouver home claimed the lives of three people, including a child under the age of 10.

One day later, a blaze broke out at a high-rise apartment on Pendrell Street in the city's West End, trapping multiple people inside.

A 37-year-old man was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries.

In an email to CTV News Vancouver Sunday, Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry said she believes both of the fires were accidental and they both "appear to be electronic in nature."

Given the recent tragedies and the start of Burn Awareness Week, Fry spoke to CTV Morning Live Monday about some fire safety and prevention tips.

Fry said while any structure built in the last 10 to 15 years has a sprinkler system, there are a lot of older apartment buildings that don't, particularly in the West End.

The apartment building on Pendrell Street that claimed a life last week did not have a sprinkler system.

Fry said it’s easy to tell, if anyone is wondering whether or not they have a sprinkler system in their building.

"All you have to do is look at the ceilings in your unit," she said. "A lot of three-storey walk-ups will not have sprinkler systems."

Fry also stressed the importance of smoke alarms.

"Everybody needs smoke alarms and they do save lives," she said. "I know that 63 per cent of fire deaths that occur are because they don't have working smoke alarms and that is something that can be avoided."

She added that fire alarms should be outside every bedroom and that people should be testing them regularly.

"You should be changing your batteries twice a year," said Fry. "And one thing people don't know is that smoke alarms only last for 10 years. They may still have a light on them but they need to be replaced every 10 years."

Fry said if anyone is unsure if their smoke alarm needs to replaced, they can call 311 for assistance.

Using space heaters during the cold winter months also poses a potential safety concern, Fry said.

"You need to keep them free and clear, so make sure they're not against curtains," she said. "Make sure they don't have anything combustible around them…and that they are not cranked up high all the time."

Fry suggests unplugging space heaters when no one is home and to not overload power bars by having too many appliances plugged in at once.

In case of a fire in the middle of the night, Fry said it's important to close your doors when you're sleeping.

"Fire looks for its least path of resistance…so it travels quickly and will go to anywhere there's fresh air or oxygen," said Fry. "If you keep your door closed, it will find another way to travel and it will keep that deadly smoke out of your room where you're sleeping and give you time when you hear a smoke alarm to escape safely."

Fry said that the majority of fire-related deaths are due to smoke inhalation.

"That smoke is toxic and it's dangerous and you only have less than minutes to escape a fire."

Another key factor to keep in mind, Fry said, is to have an escape plan.

"When you hear your smoke alarm, you need to know where to go and how to evacuate and get out of the building," she said.

"Practice that plan and talk to your family about that plan."