North Bay Fire officials are reminding residents of several safety tips after a mid-November fatal fire in a Toronto high-rise.

They include:
– Treat all smoke alarm activations as serious. Smoke alarms will alert you and your family if a fire occurs. Dismissing them puts everyone at risk.
– Keep space heaters at least one metre (three feet) away from anything that can burn. Place in a location where it will not get tipped over.
– You are responsible for your family’s safety. Develop and practice a home fire escape plan.
– When your smoke alarms sound, the best thing to do is to get everyone out and call 9-1-1 from outside the building.

One person died and six others were injured in the Toronto fire, which was deemed accidental by the Office of the Fire Marshal.

Officials say a space heater in one of the apartment’s bedrooms was too close to combustibles.

Several factors played a role in this fire’s tragic outcome including:
– When the battery-operated smoke alarm in the apartment activated prior to the fire being discovered, it was dismissed as false.
– When the occupants discovered the fire, they attempted to extinguish it themselves instead of evacuating and calling 9-1-1.
– Notification to the fire department only occurred once a smoke detector in the eighth-floor common area activated the monitored alarm system.
– At the time of arrival by emergency services, the fire conditions were such, that survival of the occupant and rescue by the firefighters was untenable.

“This tragic fire reinforces the need for those who live in high-rises, and other occupancies where tenants live, to learn what to do if a fire occurs in your building,” said Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal. “Learn about the fire safety features in your building and the emergency procedures outlined in the building’s fire safety plan. This includes knowing the locations of exit stairs from your floor in case the nearest one is blocked and evacuating if you hear a smoke alarm.”

North Bay Fire and Emergency Services says anyone with fire safety questions can contact the Fire Prevention and Life safety Division at 705-474-5662.

(File photo by station staff)

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