Rash of apartment fires has fire department reminding tenants to keep doors closed
The London Fire Department is reminding apartment dwellers to keep their doors shut to help prevent the spread of fire, and to have an escape plan in place for when one does take place.
It comes as fire crews have found themselves battling a rash of fires at multi-unit dwellings over the last several weeks.
“Fire does not wait,” said fire inspector, Chris Rennie, with the LFD.
In a tour of a Godfrey Drive apartment building where a fire took place last Saturday, Insp. Rennie pointed out the bedroom where the fire began, and explained how the fire was largely contained simply by keeping the bedroom door closed.
“And for this door to be closed it stopped the spread of fire,” Rennie said. “With the fire alarm in the building, that activated tenants to get out safely.”
He said last year’s message from the office of the Ontario Fire Marshall was ‘close before you doze,’ and he said it’s a message that has proven timely in 2022.
Closing doors to a unit also prevents fire from spreading down a main corridor, keeping others safe, said Insp. Rennie.
“When all the occupants left, of course, they shut their doors,” he said. “So we have no fire in any other units here. It was contained to there with the door closed, and the smoke spread in the hallway.”
Rennie adds that the same goes for exterior doors. While it may be convenient to keep them propped open for a time, Rennie says remember to shut them when you’re finished with your tasks.
Meantime, unlike the way houses are built, Insp. Rennie said apartment units have fire separation.
“So we compartmentalize each unit,” he said. “So this unit is fire rated, to protect and stop the spread of smoke and fire to the next unit. When you’re in an open house, especially nowadays with the open concept, that allows oxygen to entrain and allow that fire to grow faster.”
Most importantly, Rennie stresses having an escape plan, and having working smoke alarms.
“The last thing we want is injuries,” he said. “If we can prevent fires before they happen, that’s our goal — so please have a working smoke alarm.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.