No working smoke alarms in fatal Waterloo house fire
Fire officials have confirmed there were no working smoke alarms at a fatal house fire in Waterloo earlier this week.
Fire investigators still have a lot of details to sift through before they will have definite answers on what happened, but the Ontario Fire Marshal said if the home had a functioning alarm and a proper escape plan, the people inside would have had a much better chance to get out safe.
“The terrifying trend of no working smoke alarms continues in many of the fires we are seeing across Ontario, which is very concerning as we know they save lives,” Jon Pegg, the Ontario Fire Marshal, said at a news conference Thursday.
Multiple people were sent to hospital after the fire on Graham Street in Waterloo on Monday, June 5, including a 54-year-old woman who was pronounced dead.
A 58-year-old man and a 30-year-old man were also rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. At least seven dogs and cats were also killed.
“Really the situation in Waterloo is there’s a common thread with working smoke alarms, compliance,” Waterloo Fire Chief Richard Hepditch said.
Investigators say a fire can become fatal in less than one minute. They're pleading with the public to make sure there are working smoke alarms on every floor of their homes.
“We’re trained by Hollywood to see fires, you know you can see right through a house and the smoke is clear – that isn’t reality. If you’ve ever been around a real house fire, it’s black thick smoke that is choking,” Pegg said.
Pegg said tragic fires also impact first responders called in to supress the flames or investigate afterwards. Officials say some firefighters feel a sense of failure when someone dies, even if they have done everything they can to help.
“It is very difficult for our crews. We sit at the kitchen table and talk with our firefighters, and you can see the pain,” Brampton Fire Chief Bill Boyes said.
While it is law to have working smoke alarms inside your home, the fire marshal said not enough residents are taking it seriously. Pegg said over the last week there has been multiple house fires in Ontario with clear indications of non-functioning smoke alarms or no smoke alarms at all.
Last year, 133 people died in fires in Ontario, which set a new 20-year record.
“The law is in place. It is absolutely rock solid. People are just choosing not to follow it. So we’re going to look at everything we possibly can to drive compliance,” Pegg said.
Next week the Office of the Fire Marshal is holding a summit with different fire services around the province to look at ways to get people to take fire safety more seriously. They will explore ideas like tougher fines, tougher laws or different education campaigns.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.