Sechelt Fire Chief Bill Higgs is joining the B.C. Coroners Service and the office of the fire commissioner in urging mobile home owners to take extra precautions to prevent fires in the wake of several fire-related deaths over the Jan. 1 weekend in B.C.
Between Dec. 29 and Jan 2, seven British Columbians lost their lives in five separate fires. Three of the fires and five of the deaths were in mobile homes and travel trailers.
"While mobile homes provide a source of housing for many British Colum-bians, studies show that fires in such housing, especially older units, tend to be more devastating than those in other forms of residence," a press release on the subject from the provincial government stated.
Reasons for the higher risk include the use of more flammable materials like wood panelling in mobile homes, older electrical wiring, more closely packed furniture and household items in a smaller space, which provides more fuel for a fire, and generally no skylights or places in the roof for the fire to escape.
"They have metal roofs, metal walls and combustible walls and combustible insides so they're really quite dangerous as far as any sort of fire spread in there," Higgs said. "When we go to them we have to be really careful what we do because what ends up happening is when they do flash over, the flames will blow out either the back or the front windows at the end of the trailer. It'll blow out of there about 20 feet and you can get yourself really hurt because there's no where else for that energy to go."
Higgs said fires in mobile homes spread quickly and the nature of a mobile home makes it hard to escape from a fire with small windows and exits often leading to wooden porches that may also be on fire.
While the fire hazards in a mobile home may be high, there are ways to lessen the likelihood of a blaze.
Have furnaces inspected at least once a year. Ensure electrical wiring and appliances are in good working order. Avoid the use of space heaters if possible, or plug them directly into the wall (avoiding extension cords) and keep them well away from flammable materials. Make sure smoke detectors are in working order and install a fire extinguisher beside one of the home's exits. It is also suggested that special precautions be taken with cigarettes and cigars, making sure they are extinguished fully when put in an ashtray. The office of the fire commissioner also suggests people never smoke in bed.
For more information about fire safety visit www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/firecom/pubed/fpw.htm.
