11 deaths in 2016, Hamilton fire officials plead for smoke alarms
Dave Beatty | CBC News | Posted: October 3, 2016 1:24 PM | Last Updated: October 4, 2016
The Hamilton Fire Department says better safety measures are the best chance to survive a fire
Hamilton's fire chief has issued a plea to the community to make fire safety a priority in the wake of a fatal fire that killed three people Saturday.
Those three fatalities bring Hamilton's 2016 death toll from fires to 11. All have been in homes.
Early warning and understanding how to safely escape a fire in your home is crucial to your survival. - Fire Chief David Cunliffe
"People often think that a fire will never happen to them. However, every year most fire related injuries and deaths occur in the home, a place where most of us feel the safest," said Fire Chief David Cunliffe in the release.
He stressed that, as was the case Saturday, fires often happen at night and that makes being prepared critical.
- Neighbour braves fatal inferno to help rescue two trapped inside
- 3 dead, 3 treated in hospital in overnight house fire in Hamilton
"Early warning and understanding how to safely escape a fire in your home is crucial to your survival," he said.
That means smoke alarms and escape plans. The release notes that smoke alarms must be installed on every level of a house and outside of all sleeping areas.
The death toll of 11 is more than double last year's total, and more than double's every year going back to 2008, when eight people lost their lives in fires.
Practice escape plans
The release also encourages families to identify and practice escape plans that include two ways of getting out of every room.
In the east end house fire that killed 3 people on Saturday night, officials haven't yet determined if a smoke detector found on the scene was working at the time of the fire.
Fire department spokesman Claudio Mostacci said "we can only speculate" about whether any of the 11 people killed this year in Hamilton could have been saved by better safety measures, but he said having a robust safety plan is your best chance to survive.
The Hamilton Fire Department wants people to know that, for those with physical or financial limitations, you can participate in a program that will have experts come in and install smoke alarms in your home for free. However, this is only for home owners.
For renters, it's up to the landlord to keep your smoke and fire alarms working. But, you can call for help. To report a lack of smoke alarms in your home, call (905) 546-2424 (ext. 1380) and an inspector will come by.
"Responsible homeowners would go out of their way to make sure smoke detectors are electrically powered rather than battery operated," said Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla. The people who died Saturday lived in his ward. Merulla said he would like to see legislation mandating that electrical standard for smoke detectors.
He said, "the onus is also on tenants to observe their apartments and make sure proper safety devices are installed and working." And if they're not, Merulla said, people should promptly report it.
Below is a video clip of the fatal fire at 191 Grenfell Street on Saturday night, in which 2 people were injured and 3 lost their lives.