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Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Office of the Fire Marshal |
Ministère de la Sécurité communautaire et des Services
correctionnels |
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Place Nouveau Building 7th Floor 5775 Yonge Street North York ON M2M 4J1 Telephone 416-325-3100 Facsimile: 416-325-3162 |
Édifice Place Nouveau |
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TORONTO (July 3, 2008)
- On June 30, a 34-year-old man and two
young children died in a fire in a trailer park in Essex, Ontario. It has been
confirmed by Office of the Fire Marshal investigators that no working smoke
alarms were found in the trailer.
As a result of this tragic fatal fire, the Fire Marshal of Ontario is urging
everyone to have a working smoke alarm in their trailer home, motor home or
other recreational vehicle.
“The Ontario Fire Code requires every ‘dwelling unit’ in Ontario to have working
smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas,” explained Pat
Burke, Fire Marshal of Ontario. “What many people may not know is that the term
‘dwelling unit’ includes seasonal homes such as park model trailers, cabins and
cottages and may include trailer homes, motor homes and other recreational
vehicles”.
While many new trailer and RV models may already meet a construction standard
requiring working smoke alarms, older models may not be equipped with any or
they may not have been properly maintained. It is a good practice to install
working smoke alarms in any recreational vehicle, trailer and boat with sleeping
quarters. Test the alarms monthly and after any absence of more than a few days.
Replace any smoke alarms that may be more than 10 years old.
“Smoke alarms can alert you and give you and your family the precious time
needed to safely escape a fire,” said Burke. “Install smoke alarms in any
structure where people may be sleeping or living.”
Failure to comply with the applicable Fire Code smoke alarm requirements can
result in a ticket for $235 or a fine of up to $100,000.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Gina Pontikas, Office of the Fire Marshal, 416-325-3138
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