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 TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
THE FIRE MAESHAL
FOR   THE   PROVINCE   OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA
STATISTICS, 1942
PRINTED  BY
AUTHORITY OF THE  LEGISLATIVE  ASSEMBLY.
VICTORIA,   B.C. :
Printed by Charles F. Banfjeld, Printer t-o the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1943.  To His Honour W. C. Woodward,
Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia.
May it please Your Honour:
The undersigned has the honour to present the Twenty-first Annual Report of the
Fire Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1942.
R. L. MAITLAND,
Attorney-General.
Victoria, B.C., March 31st, 1943. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Report of Fire Marshal 	
Table I.—Inspections made and Orders issued
Table II.—Fires reported 	
Table III.—Causes of Fires 	
Table IV.—Classification of Property burned
Table V.—Summary  	
Table VI.—Loss of Life
5
7
9
11
13
22
23 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL.
Office of Fire Marshal,
Vancouver, B.C., March 31st, 1943.
The Honourable R. L. Maitland, K.C.,
Attorney-General, Victoria, B.C.
SIR,;—I have the honour to submit the Twenty-first Annual Report of the Fire
Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1942.
The fire loss for the year under review was $2,515,344, an increase over the year
1941 of $906,525. I am not very pleased at this showing as uncontrolled fire is an
economic waste at any time, but in war-time, when continuity of production is so vital,
fire waste should not be tolerated. The increase is largely due to the great development in production of war supplies and the pushing into service of buildings that had
long been idle. In many instances these buildings were not suitable for the particular
class of occupancy to which they were put for war industry. Under this heading alone
there is an increased loss of almost $300,000. The loss in warehouses has increased
by $195,209 and the loss in dwellings and hotels is higher by almost $100,000 than the
1941 totals. This increase, of course, is due to various causes such as defective chimneys in old houses brought into occupancy after many years of idleness and neglect.
Defective chimneys caused 218 fires, with a total loss of $136,369, and fires classified
under the heading of smokers' carelessness numbered 1,280, causing a loss of $156,857.
There were 291 fires of unknown origin during the year, causing a loss of $1,173,621.
The number of fires under this heading was only twenty-seven more than in 1941 but
the loss was $621,500 more. Almost half of this loss was caused by two major fires
in remote places and it was impossible for investigation to disclose the origin.
It is regrettable to note that there were thirty-two deaths by fire during the year,
which is double the number of last year. Sixteen of these were children, and of these
many not much more than infants. In the case of the loss of life of children almost
invariably they had been left alone in the house, and, in some instances, were playing
with matches or coal-oil, thereby causing fire.
During the year 1,771 general inspections were made by the staff of the office.
These do not include the inspections made by local Assistant Fire Marshals as shown
in Table I. There were also seventy-four hospital inspections, 130 school inspections,
109 bulk storage plants for gasoline and oil, and twenty-six dry-cleaning establishments.
Owing to disastrous fires in places of public assembly in other parts of the continent, particular stress has been placed on the inspection of public buildings throughout
the Province. Local Assistant Fire Marshals have been circularized and the response
has been very satisfactory.
Under the Theatre Regulations, 138 theatre inspections and fifty-three film exchange
inspections were made. Plans for five new theatres and two film exchanges were
checked and approved. Thirty-two examinations of candidates for projectionist licences
were conducted as follows: Twelve first class, eight passed; seven second class, two
passed;  six second class restricted, six passed;  and seven third class, seven passed.
Plans for eighteen bulk storage plants for gasoline and oil, seven schools, two
hospitals, and one hotel were checked and approved. Twenty-six inspections of Provincial Government owned and operated buildings were made. As British Columbia
representative of the National Research Council Fire Hazard Testing Laboratories, C 6 BRITISH COLUMBIA.
218 oil-burners were inspected and labelled;   also forty-two oil-burner installations and
seven manually operated oil-burners were checked.
Surveys were made of five shipyards and seven plants manufacturing war supplies.
Seventy-four groups were addressed throughout the Province on fire-prevention and
fire-protection. Seventeen prosecutions were launched, as follows: Four for arson,
with three convictions and one acquittal; three for perjury, with two convictions and
one awaiting trial; and under the " Fire Marshal Act " and regulations, ten prosecutions and ten convictions. Sixty-five appeals were heard during the year and from
the decisions handed down no appeals were made to the Courts.
During the year one addition to the staff of the Fire Marshal's office has been made
in the person of Mr. B. 0. Nixon, who was appointed Assistant Fire Marshal.
I wish to express to my staff my appreciation of their splendid work and assistance
during the year. Also I wish to thank members of the police forces throughout the
Province, local Assistant Fire Marshals, and insurance companies and adjusters for
their co-operation.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
W. A. WALKER,
Fire Marshal. REPORT OP FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 7
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY ASSISTANT
FIRE MARSHALS.
Inspections.
Orders.
City Municipalities (33).
11
100
338
49
553
24
42
30
333
129
75
454
835
103
30
785
919
3,315
1,245
206
6
134
116
610
67
762
21
1,276
37,418
299
15,120
8
28
4
8
6
1
3
1
6
692
44
41
3
4
26
3
1
32
1
Trail                                       	
21
70
412
Totals       	
65,405
1,415
District Municipalities (28).
430
28
76
2
26
115
1,161
228
132
619
5
13
11
Delta           .              	
Kent        *    	
Oak Bay  	
3 C 8
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY ASSISTANT
FIRE MARSHALS—Continued.
Inspections.
Orders.
District Municipalities—Continued.
Surrey 	
Tadanac 	
West Vancouver
Totals
Village Municipalities (22).
Abbotsford	
Burns Lake	
Chapman Camp.
Cranberry Lake .
Creston -
Dawson Creek ....
Gibsons Landing ..
Hope   	
Mission	
McBride	
New Denver 	
Pouce Coupe	
Qualicum Beach	
Quesnel  	
Silverton	
Smithers	
Stewart  	
Terrace	
Tofino	
Vanderhoof	
Westview	
Williams Lake -
Totals .
Fire Districts (12).
Cariboo, County of	
loco   	
Kootenay, County of—
Nanaimo, County of ...
Pacific Mills, Limited .
Powell River   	
Prince Rupert, County of .
University Area 	
Vancouver, County of	
Victoria, County of	
Westminster, County of	
Yale, County of 	
Totals	
Grand totals .
Grand totals, 1941 .
Grand totals, 1940 .
Grand totals, 1939-
Grand totals, 1938 .
4
2
14
2,842
16
10
10
71
2
6
399
15
80
2
10
11
118
2
10
896
47
235
25
50
15
70,181
75,717
76,912
73,464
74,371
15
2
1,536
2,134
5,104
5,530
5,864 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 9
TABLE IL—FIRES REPORTED.
Districts reporting.
Number.
Amount of
Loss.
City Municipalities (33).
6
4
13
9
12
3
19
2
13
3
4
16
I
25
5
5
54
28
80
46
23
5
6
11
22
7
22
4
36
1,860
15
265
$1,039
401
175
351
23,003
1,091
2,177
37
5,808
153
1,344
593
25
4,293
62
1,680
46,658
32,402
24,974
98,100
20',340
3,397
3,297
13,959
9,960
362
4,141
2,608
Trail                           .   .                                   .       	
7,234
621,401
1,047
23,469
Totals	
2,624
$955,581
District Municipalities (28).
93
16
10
10
27
3
2
8
10
13
9
7
13 .
26
80
1
20
3
34
88
2
6
2
39
$25,939
25,364
6,992
Delta     	
9,489
9 870
9 387
Kent        	
3,741
4,621
38,863
14,065
22,430
7,118
12,838
115
Oak Bay                 	
18,342
843
27,092
9,789
2,535
2,710
16,599 C 10
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IL—FIRES REPORTED—Continued.
Districts reporting.
District Municipalities—Continued.
Tadanac  _
West Vancouver .
Totals .
Village Municipalities i
Abbotsford	
Burns Lake	
Chapman Camp..
Cranberry Lake .
Creston __	
Dawson Creek
Gibsons Landing .
Hope 	
Mission 	
McBride	
New Denver	
Pouce Coupe	
Qualicum Beach .
Quesnel —	
Silverton 	
Smithers	
Stewart 	
Terrace	
Torino	
Vanderhoof	
Westview	
Williams Lake __
Totals -
Fire Districts (12).
Cariboo, County of	
loco   -	
Kootenay, County of -
Nanaimo, County of —
Pacific Mills, Limited .
Powell River 	
Prince Rupert, County of_
University Area 	
Vancouver, County of	
Victoria, County of	
Westminster, County of—
Yale, County of 	
Totals _
Grand totals.
Note.—Construction of buildings—
Fire-resisting __..
Number.
i
65
123
5
5
34
5
32
43
13
51
448
3,714
Amount of
Loss.
$1,785
17,201
$292,429
$766
550
37
583
6,403
67
50
2,543
6,723
35
20
1,205
7
1,470
1
25
5
1,151
1
11
2
42
5
3,637
4
1,101
56
$26,419
71
$94,680
37
72,441
277,840
19,519
279
296,097
108
358,572
20,402
24,571
76,369
$1,240,915
$2,515,344
Brick or concrete-
Frame	
26, loss
313,   „
3,375,   „
3,714,
$11,032
310,566
2,193,746
$2,515,344 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 11
TABLE III.—CAUSES OF FIRES.
Causes of Fires.
Number.
Amount of
Loss.
Acetylene-torch carelessness..
Alcohol-vapour explosion	
Ashes against wood 	
Asphalt boiling over	
Boiler or boiler-pipe insufficiently protected-
Bi-oken gasoline-line  	
Broken oil-line   	
Bunsen burner, carelessness with..
Candle carelessness 	
Carbon from exhaust falling on canvas-
Carburettor back-firing  	
Car upset  	
Charcoal-heater upset _	
Children playing with fire	
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe .
Coal-gas explosion—   	
Coal-oil carelessnes-i — —	
Collision   _	
Curtains from lamp 	
Curtains from stove - —
Defective brooder   	
Defective chimney  — 	
Defective fireplace	
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe .
Defective gasoline-torch 	
Defective muffler  	
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective stove or stove-pipe-
Defective wiring	
Dust explosion _	
Electrical appliances 	
Engine back-firing -
Exhaust-pipe from engine insufficiently protected..
Exposure  	
Firecrackers  —	
Floor wax, being heated, exploded 	
Friction in brake-drum   - 	
Friction in pulley    	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected-
Gas explosion _. _  	
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline explosion  	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe —	
Gasoline-torch carelessness	
Gas-plate insufficiently protected.
Grease on stove	
Hot oil upset on motor-
Ignition of ammonia	
Incendiary	
Lamp explosion	
Lamp upset 	
Lantern upset 	
Lightning	
Live coals 	
Match carelessness	
Matches, children with-
Molten metal 	
Oil-furnace back-firing.
Oil-stove explosion....	
Overheated machinery bearings 	
Radiator in body of truck overheating	
Sawdust-burner back-firing	
Sawdust-burner insufficiently protected-
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness.—
3
3
41
1
8
5
1
4
IB
I
43
5
1
4
61
6
5
1
3
2
5
218
27
3
2
2
12
24
22
9
15.3
2
2
85
7
1
1
3
25
9
26
2
3
6
1
61
1
1
34
1
13
1
14
20
56
46
7
4
3
1
2
19
3
132
1,280
$668
305
7,507
2,000
82,832
1,718
822
82
492
509
10,769
1,795
1,350
1,649
3,519
20,034
4,549
70
78
53
9,728
136,369
2,343
3,243
25
718
1,777
19,484
12,833
19,985
42,338
5,945
831
65,138
252
350
5
1,036
8,047
621
10,932
135
1.370
2,478
525
5,219
55
1,811
24,325
111
7,654
1,200
11,119
361
4,054
15,405
386
1,079
1,502
2,911
372
9,168
61
31,174
156,857 C 12
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE III.—CAUSES OF FIRES—Continued.
Causes of Fires.
Number.
Amount of
Loss.
Sparks from acetylene-torch 	
Sparks from boiler 	
Sparks from bonfire  ._ —
Sparks from burning rubbish	
Sparks from bush fire 	
Sparks from chimney 	
Sparks from engine    	
Sparks from fireplace 	
Sparks from furnace	
Sparks from mill burner  	
Sparks from oven  	
Sparks from picker-machine	
Sparks from sanding-machine 	
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe —
Sparks from welding-machine 	
Spontaneous combustion  —	
Static electricity—  	
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected	
Stove explosion  	
Stove-lid falling on floor	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected-
Stove upset  _ 	
Tar boiling over  _	
Thawing pipes  _	
Turpentine upset on furnace 	
Unknown  _.	
Wood too near furnace   	
Wood too near stove 	
3
7
13
22
28
260
2
258
11
6
1
1
1
71
2
19
1
2
3
2
122
1
8
5
1
291
5
6
Totals .
$470
25,928
1,463
9,042
337,477
62,806
9,626
8,366
721
8,843
500
2,500
44
26,304
156
3,195
221
8,874
240
13
66,979
350
1,770
301
49
1,173,621
1,193
2,159
$2,515,344 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 13
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Ashes against wood  , 	
4
.1
4
2
1
16
2
2
7
10
3
1
1
5
1
1
1
1
1
117
18
5
2
1
1
9
4
1
1
3
1
5
1
37
5
1
1
2
12
2
1
8
3
1
3.
1
2
2
SO
98
1
1
33
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
1
$108
244
72
16
20
1,125
80
79
165
1,077
158
31
27
117
62
10
25
2
2
28,967
7,588
85
46
25
16
6,091
12,098
Coal-gas explosion 	
Defective fireplace . 	
Furnace  or  furnace-pipe  insufficiently  protected
Grease on  stove 	
Smokers' carelessness   __ 	
Sparks from  chimney   	
Sparks  from  fireplace   - 	
Spontaneous  combustion  	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected 	
Smokers'   carelessness     —	
Acetylene-torch   carelessness     	
A Icohol-vapour explosion   	
Automobiles   ..  -      305
$450
305
30
1,718
822
6,987
1,795
1,350
70
718
206
25
5
940
1,370
20
920
825
78
372
9,253
4,343
270
300
11,082
Incendiary      _   _ „	
Radiator in body of truck overheating -   ..   .
Boiler insufficiently protected	
$5,811
1,043
90
10
500
981
38.758
Banks              1
Sparks from oven            	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected 	
    .                    33
.                                                              ,
i C 14
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Barns
Barracks
Bath-houses   	
Blacksmith-shops
Boarding-houses
Boat-houses 	
Bottling-works
Bunk-houses
Bus depots
Canneries   _
Chicken-houses
Churches
Clubs
35
10
Defective  brooder . 	
Defective wiring    _	
Engine  back-firing     	
Exhaust-pipe from engine insufficiently protected
Gasoline-torch carelessness  _„_ 	
Incendiary  _.   —	
Lantern   upset    _   	
Match  carelessness    	
Matches, children  with   	
Smokers'  carelessness  _— _ _ 	
Sparks   from   bonfire     __	
Sparks from burning rubbish
Sparks from bush fire   	
Sparks from chimney 	
Spontaneous  combustion   	
Unknown  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from chimney  	
Sparks from fireplace 	
Stove insufficiently protected
Smokers*  carelessness  - -
Electrical  appliances  	
Tar boiling over 	
Unknown  	
Defective  fireplace	
Electrical   appliances	
Match  carelessness    	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks  from  chimney   _.. _	
Stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Gasoline carelessness _
Defective  chimney  	
Gasoline carelessness _
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from chimney
Exposure      .  	
Stove  insufficiently protected
Unknown    	
Defective  brooder
Defective stove   -.-.
Sparks from burning rubbish  	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown    ,  _ 	
Candle  carelessness
Exposure   - -	
Incendiary —	
Sparks from burning rubbish
Defective fireplace
Exposure	
Firecrackers   	
Furnace-pipe  insufficiently protected
Short circuit -        	
Smokers'  carelessness   _ _
Sparks from  chimney  	
$8,322
40
5,945
131
1,981
4,049
1,200
1,000
812
1,335
75
2,029
3,070
690
1,480
6,065
$1,229
500
10
322
35
4,485
5
5
44
67
25
1,015
$4,276
290,170
$1,386
375
45
2,995
1,650
$16
1,000
65
3,500
$49
115
102
72
17
3,403
60
$38,224
2,061
4,618
192
2,349
768
1,120
2,100
6,451
4,581
3,818 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 15
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Dairies -	
8
1
6
2,166
Boiler insufficiently protected  —
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
27
12
3
53
3
5
2
1
1
170
21
3
21
7
103
34
2
16
5
4
1
46
16
1
11
10
19
46
28
1
2
2
17
3
23
695
8
9
2
191
246
10
58
4
2
2
82
1
3
$51
48
10
1,811
533
1,978
Gasoline-torch carelessness   	
$4,431
389
$5
364
4
221
28
374
Sparks from  chimney  	
996
$2,118
232
1,644
2,805
2,428
4,549
33
33
20
74,284
2,044
479
19,069
4.610
11,409
24,936
19
3,080
181
265
5
3,892
10,167
111
6,994
1,444
356
951
3,723
10
142
1,467
8.366
61
3,518
37,091
1,050
3,170
429
37,162
8,162
321
22,371
391
224
13
28,663
350
949
Curtains from stove    	
Defective chimney     , ,.	
'•
Defective stove or stove-pipe   	
Defective wiring 	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected
Gasoline carelessness :	
Gasoline-torch carelessness  —	
Grease on stove   	
Lamp   upset      — —  	
Live  coals      	
Match carelessness   	
Matches,  children with    '	
,
Smokers' carelessness —   .	
■
Sparks from burning rubbish	
Sparks from chimney   	
Sparks from fireplace 	
Sparks from furnace    	
Stove-lid falling on floor 	 C 16
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
1
2
2
4
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
3
1
11
1
1
10
2
1
49
5
$301
49
112,789
734
1,427
Turpentine ups^t on furnace	
          1
119
           4
5
Short circuit   	
           1
                   1
$451,091
8,834
$22
4,050
(bed and mattress) .
(box)    	
Sparks from bush fire   	
           1
1
4,072
$10
2,500
1
Boiler insufficiently protected  	
            1
             1
2,510
$20
25
185
(brick   manufaetur-
          2
V
             1
230
4,182
40
Factories
(clay products)
Spontaneous combustion    	
          1
1
$910
605
12
1
(peanut butter)
(roof products)
Spontaneous combustion 	
Ashes  against  wood	
          1
          1
1
1.515
5.017
$97
50
27,697
- .                 1
(sash and door)
(vegetable   process-
1
1
147
$185
7,537
1
1
7,722
Factories
(wood-pipe)   	
1
$132
96
           2
1
228
28,000
$3,250
658
150
1,835
3,722
■            1
ng plants 	
3    	
Gasoline  carelessness    	
.           3
1
Smokers'   carelessness —	
2
4
1
          1
1
9.615
Flour-mill
Dust explosion    .,    	
325
$288
446
50
1,642
214
1    io
          1
1
                   2
4
                  1
2,650
$5
2.500
1
1
2,505
1,814
$222
21
261
551
5,124
4,160
4.464
1.752
Carburettor  back-firing    	
Clothes too near stove    	
2
1
1
4
3
Matches,  children with  	
          4
6
Smokers'   carelessness
8 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 17
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Amount of Loss.
Gasoline-stations
Gasoline-storage plants   1
Golf club-houses    3
Grandstands     —  1
Greenhouses     —  4
Halls        _  21
Haystacks
Hospitals .
Hotels 	
10
House-boats
lee-cream  plants
Sparks from burning rubbish
Sparks  from   chimney  	
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe
Sparks  from  welding-machine  -
Spontaneous combustion 	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown  —  	
Defective gasoline-torch
Electrical  appliances  	
Exposure     	
Gasoline  carelessness  	
Sparks from sanding-machine
Unknown     	
Exposure    	
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from  chimney
Exposure     - _ —
Boiler insufficiently protected  _	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown     	
Curtains from lamp  	
Exposure   	
Incendiary    	
Match  carelessness
Matches, children with
Smokers' carelessness —
Sparks from chimney —
Spontaneous combustion ._	
Stove insufficiently protected
Unknown — — 	
Wood too near furnace
Sparks from bush fire -
Unknown   	
Floor wax, being heated, exploded
Short circuit  	
Smokers'  carelessness  - _	
Sparks from chimney 	
Unknown —     	
Defective  chimney   	
Defective fireplace 	
Electrical  appliances
Exposure     	
Lamp  upset 	
Oil-stove explosion 	
Short   circuit     __
Smokers' carelessness ..
Sparks from chimney
Sparks from fireplace
Unknown  	
Defective  oil-burner
Exposure   	
Incendiary   	
Stove insufficiently protected
Short circuit
2
4
2
4
1
1
2
1
1
1
100
2
1
5
1
1
1
1
$146
159
60
130
108
1,025
5,616
$25
75
78
16
44
20
$23
5
$25
185
200
$45
958
126
10
1,791
1,013
84
11
20
6,525
459
$1,000
1,000
$350
37
50
5,968
215
$22,977
85
41
703
10
35
47
31,670
610
4
27,276
$250
35
5
120
$23,799
258
4,972
28
475
11,042
2,000
6,620
83,458
410
50 C 18
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
•—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
6
4
34
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
19
1
9
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
4
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
4
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
1
$509
150
767
750
205
--
Carburettor back-firing  • 	
Gasoline carelessness    — —  —
$2,381
$5
60
11,597
11,662
Logging  camps  ____ T	
$17,590
884
462
9,310
142,080
9,341
104,188
•
Sparks from engine   	
283,855
57
Machine-shops   -	
3
1
$6,216
160
1,250
$285
2,718
7,626
325
3
3
1
3,003
$160
100
.
260
779
21
2
3
$7
82
18
12
501
55
234
7
350
881
770
.
.
2,917
$18,540
75
Exhaust-pipe from engine insufficiently protected
Overheated machinery bearings   1	
18,615
$700
2,911
280
1
3,891
12,904
$2,631
972
2
2
3,603
$7,941
2,900
2
.
10,841
$62
100
28
162
$5
200
790
12
Electrical  appliances    	
Match carelessness  —  - 	 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 19
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
97
1
2
11
1
2
3
1
7
1
5
2
1
1
66
4
2
3
4
2
1
3
2
6
8
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
3
1
1
3
1
3
1
4
2
12
2
2
1
3
2
1
10
1
1
1
1
$800
281
568
290
3,123
4,789
Smokers' carelessness    	
Clothes too near stove    	
$10,858
$13
237
22
204
512
5
15
1,814
1,840
60
59
6,438
22
14
52
1
3
Sparks from fireplace —   	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected ._.	
Boiler or boiler-pipe insufficiently protected 	
11,219
Sawmills    __  a	
$68,925
15
25,647
11,848
8,843
97,674
Defective chimney   	
212,952
Schools     	
$10,311
234
1,627
3,040
20
303
100
10
370
50
12,259
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected
Incendiary .... —   	
Sparks from chimney  ,  —   -
Ashes against wood —. —   ;.  ...
28,324
Sheds            -    -         	
$158
2,000
5
261
10
2,144
650
2,197
95
241
43
85
100
155
183
296
7,787
Lamp upset    -  —    	
■
Short circuit — — ' - .   -	
Smokers'  carelessness    ••   . 	
Sparks from bonfire — —	
Sparks from burning rubbish	
Sparks from chimney       	
Spontaneous combustion  —  	
.
16,410
8
$8,000
25
35,000
-
Ships
Smokers' carelessness C 20
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Shipyards    -
6
13
153
          1
$53
100
5,641
5
89,455
          1
          1
Sparks from acetylene-torch 	
1
2
7
$95,254
Smelting plants 	
$1,120
15
100
100
175,000
50
400
Gas explosion  ...    ...
Molten metal    	
Short circuit     —	
Sparks from bush fire  	
Sparks from  chimney    	
          1
          1
            1
     .    1
          1
          1
          1
176,785
$21
1,771
14,754
4,637
31
125
135
75
476
2,609
477
236
15,146
10
457
10
244
455
30,357
11
25
6
58
           9
16
          6
          2
          1
          2
          3
2
Matches,  children with  	
          3
1
          3
Smokers' carelessness —	
Sparks from burning rubbish   	
Sparks from chimney    	
        79
          1
           2
1
•
Sparks from stove   	
Stove insufficiently protected  	
....          3
           6
        12
                2
          6
72,026
$68
2,805
48
28
Sparks from  chimney   .
           2
           1
           1
2,949
$25
590
226
7,716
26
66
20
100
66
35
2,515
324
65
15,527
Clothes too near stove    	
           1
           1
                1
1
            2
-
           1
Smokers' carelessness  	
Sparks from chimney  	
8
1
           2
2
Spontaneous combustion    	
Tar boiling over  —  	
           1
           1
2
Defective  oil-burner    ,	
....           1
            1
27,301
Stores and offices .   	
$4
363
117
56
2
Spontaneous combustion — 	
2
          1
540
$18
923
35
521
80
Defective chimney    	
          5
          1
.   .          2
           2 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1942.
C 21
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
          1
Gas-plate insufficiently protected 	
          1
1
$525
460
15,006
543
20
35
76
732
33
8
           1
Stove insufficiently protected 	
          1
1
          1
1
$18,974
1 242
          1
           1
230
3
           2
$280
400
1
34
Sparks from acetylene-torch  	
1
           1
           1
680
2,094
$20,851
2,729
62
3,797
127
6,600
10
355
65
«95
650
26
8,846
18,203
125
156,848
1
           1
           2
           4
Friction in  pulley —     ...
Incendiary  	
           1
          2
1
           2
           1
...              1
           1
Sparks from welding-machine    .. 	
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected	
           1
           1
           2
           1
12
    1
219,989
165
1
1
           1
315
1
55
3,714
  3,714
Totals
$2,515,344 C 22
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
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• REPORT OF FIRE  MARSHAL, 1942.
C 23
TABLE VI.—LOSS OF LIFE, 1938-42.
Occupancy.
Cause of Fire.
Loss of Life.
Adults.       Children.
Dwelling
Dwelling -
Dwelling .
Dwelling _
Dwelling
Dwelling
Dwelling _
Dwelling
Dwelling.
Dwelling .
Dwelling _
Dwelling.
Dwelling _
Gaol	
Garage	
Hospital __
Hotel _
Launch ...
Store --.
Totals, 1942..
Totals, 1941..
Totals, 1940„
Totals, 1939 .
Totals, 1938 -
Coal-oil carelessness _
Defective chimney 	
Defective stove-pipe —
Gasoline carelessness
Lamp upset __.	
Matches, children with _	
Oil-stove explosion	
Smokers' carelessness _ 	
Unknown    	
Unknown _ -	
Unknown	
Unknown   „•__.	
Unknown _ __	
Unknown 	
Gasoline carelessness	
Floor wax, being heated, exploded-
Defective chimney   _	
Match carelessness. _ _...
Gasoline explosion	
16
13
7
7
7
VICTORIA,   B.C. :
Printed by Charles F. Ban field, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1943.
700-443-4169