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 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT
OF
THE FIRE MARSHAL
FOR   TUB   PROVINCE   OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA
STATISTICS, 1943
PRINTED BY
AUTHORITY OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
VICTORIA,  B.C. :
Printed by Charles F. Banfield, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1944.  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-second Annual Report of
the Fire Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1943.
R. L. MAITLAND,
Attorney-General.
Victoria, B.C., March 31st, 19 U- TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Page.
...    5
__    7
Report of Fire Marshal	
Table I.—Inspections made and Orders issued	
Table II.—Fires reported     9
Table III.—Causes of Fires  11
Table IV.—Classification of Property burned  13
Table V.—Summary  23
Table VI.—Loss of Life  24 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL.
Office of Fire Marshal,
Vancouver, B.C., March 31st, 1944.
The Honourable R. L. Maitland, K.C.,
Attorney-General, Victoria, B.C.
Sir,—Pursuant to section 44 of the " Fire Marshal Act" I have the honour to
submit the Twenty-second Annual Report of the Fire Marshal for the year ended
December 31st, 1943.
The year under review shows, I regret to state, a considerable increase in fire loss
over the previous year; in fact, it is the biggest loss since the year 1930. The actual
fire loss was $3,995,897, which is an increase of $1,480,553 over the 1942 figures or
almost 59 per cent. Some large industrial fires accounted for this increase. One fire
particularly, which originated in a fur-storage plant and caused a loss of $827,570, was
almost unique in the annals of fire protection on this continent and accounted for more
than half of the year's increase. The average fire loss for the ten years, 1933 to 1942,
is $1,994,092.
There was an increase in incendiary fires from thirty-four in 1942 with a loss of
$24,325 to forty-four in 1943 with a loss of $373,509. One of these fires, involving a
loss of more than $130,000, occurred in the City of Vancouver; while two such fires,
totalling over $123,000, occurred in new developments in the northern portion of the
Province. Three incendiary fires occurred in the Kootenay District west of Nelson,
involving a loss of $64,057. There was an increase in the number of fires of unknown
origin, although the loss was $201,470 less than in 1942.
During the year 2,073 general inspections were made by the staff of the office.
These do not include the inspections made by local Assistant Fire Marshals as recorded
in Table I. There were also seventy-eight hospital inspections, 165 school, 225 theatre,
168 bulk storage plants for gasoline and oil, and eighteen dry-cleaning plants. Three
plans for the alterations of theatres were checked and approved.
Thirty projectionist examinations were held as follows: Fourteen first class, of
which six passed; four second class general, of which four passed; seven second class
restricted, of which seven passed;  and five third class, of which five passed.
Plans for one new film exchange and one film processing plant were checked and
approved. Plans for sixteen bulk storage installations for gasoline and oil were
checked and approved. Also plans for four schools, two hospitals, three nursing homes,
three hotels, and one old people's home were checked and approved. Thirty-four
inspections of Government owned and operated buildings were made; nine shipyards
and twelve war supply manufacturing plants were inspected. Nine special oil-burning
installations were checked and six manually operated oil-burners were checked and
approved. Twenty-four lectures were delivered to fire services. Surveys of fire
defences were made in sixty-nine centres and assistance rendered to fire department
authorities.
The Fire Prevention Week Poster Competition, inaugurated two years ago by the
Dominion Fire Prevention Association, with the assistance of Provincial Fire Marshals
and Fire Chiefs, has created quite an interest in the schools of British Columbia. This
is a poster competition for High School students during Fire Prevention Week and the
subject is, of course, Fire Prevention. There are three prizes in each Province and
one Dominion grand prize. Competition was quite keen in this Province and some
very fine posters went forward to Ottawa from the local judging committee. E 6 BRITISH COLUMBIA.
There were twenty-nine deaths by fire in 1943—twenty-four adults and five children. This is a slight improvement from last year, especially among the children, as
in 1942 sixteen children met death by fire.
During the year there were sixty-two fire investigations and ten inquiries held.
Sixty-four appeals were heard and decided, with no appeals therefrom to the Courts.
There were ten arson prosecutions with nine convictions and one acquittal; two perjury
prosecutions with one conviction and one acquittal; two false alarm prosecutions with
two convictions. There were twenty-nine prosecutions under the " Fire Marshal Act"
and regulations, with twenty-eight convictions and one acquittal.
In conclusion, I wish to express my appreciation to my staff for their splendid work
and loyalty during the year as in the past. I also wish to thank the local Assistant
Fire Marshals throughout the Province, the Commissioner and members of the British
Columbia Police, the city and municipal police, as well as insurance companies and
adjusters for their co-operation.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
W. A. WALKER,
Fire Marshal. REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 7
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY ASSISTANT
FIRE MARSHALS.
Inspections.
Orders.
City Municipalities (83).
49
264
55
372
53
31
525
144
18
445
708
36
665
770
3,170
1,211
296
104
126
763
15
905
15
552
23,301
288
18,053
5
16
7
4
7
12
2
2.
2
2
582
68
39
2
42
2
97
7
52,934
1,626
District Municipalities (28).
74
79
76
64
93
576
330
69
505
5
1
3
10
16
16 E 8
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY ASSISTANT
FIRE MARSHALS—Continued.     •
Inspections.
Orders.
District Municipalities—Continued.
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 l-
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-
TJniversity Area.-	
Vancouver, County of	
Victoria, County of	
Westminster, County of-...
Yale, County of	
Totals-
Grand totals-...
30
2
2
403
1
12.
108
46*
5
32
30
86
56,344
Grand totals, 1942-
Grand totals, 1941-
Grand totals, 1940..
Grand totals, 1939..
70,181
75,717
76,912
73,464
17
1,702
1,536
2,134
5,104
5,530 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 9
TABLE II.—FIRES REPORTED.
Districts reporting.
Number.
Amount of
Loss.
City Municipalities (33).
Alberni	
Armstrong 	
Chilliwack	
Courtenay- _.
Cranbrook —	
Cumberland	
Duncan	
Enderby 	
Fernie  	
Grand Forks 	
•Greenwood 	
Kamloops	
Kaslo 	
Kelowna	
Ladysmith	
Merritt	
NanaimO—	
Nelson -
New Westminster-
North Vancouver-
Port Alberni -	
Port Coquitlam	
Port Moody	
Prince George	
Prince Rupert	
Revelstoke	
Rossland	
Salmon Arm	
Slocan	
Trail   	
Vancouver.	
Vernon	
Victoria	
Totals.
District Municipalities (28).
Burnaby 	
Chilliwack	
Coldstream	
Coquitlam _. —
Delta	
Esquimalt	
Fraser Mills 	
■ Glenmore 	
Kent	
Langley —
Maple Ridge	
Matsqui— _	
Mission 	
North Cowichan—
North Vancouver-
Oak Bay	
Peachland  —
Penticton 	
Pitt Meadows	
Richmond -
Saanich	
Salmon Arm	
Spallumcheen	
: Sumas.— —-
iSummerland	
Surrey	
19
12
2
32
1
31
13
6
41
22
111
62
24
5
2
14
30
14
15
7
1
21
1,973
22
327
2,853
106
21
2
14
12
23
1
1
1
16
20
9
3
22
23
64
2
31
4
44
105
12
3
31
2,309
1,363
3,774
3,141
220
2,489
500
1,276
34
20,612
25
12,295
542
5,227
3,190
2,862
45,619
18,924
30,696
753
2,010
15,735
91,662
31,651
4,013
3,423
35
24,799
1,585,053
19,268
100,353
$2,034,433
$42,363
14,438
5,872
8,437
182,300
3,204
600
4,400
650
13,915
43,236
6,241
1,680
9,227
23,116
15,051
47
20,813
1,281
115,057
13,751
9,345
20,150
1,459
26,629 E  10
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE II.—FIRES REPORTED—Continued.
Districts reporting.
Number.
Amount of
Loss.
District Municipalities—Continued.
21
67
$3,401
16,846
Totals -	
661                   $603,509
Village Municipalities (22).
5                          $79
2
	
526
4                         7,700
2                            345
28                    212.451
2
10
1
1
1
160
9,431
30
1,700
700
5                             392
	
5         j                  127
1                       20,653
Tofino	
2                         3.100
4                         4.220
8                         1,856
6                         5,697
Totals          	
87                  $269,167
Fire Districts (12).
63                 $238,840
59                   132,984
7                       5,651
6                          769
17                     132,618
5                             290
47                       59,028
39                       30,062
17         |             41 484
80                   120,892
Totals  - -	
!
467         ]     $1,088,878
j
NOTH.—Construction of buildings—-
Fire resisting. _ _	
Brick or concrete  	
Frame  	
85,
306,
3,727,
4,068,
$15,515
1,276,150
2,704,322
$3,995,897 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 11
TABLE III.—CAUSES OF FIRES.
Causes of Fires.
Amount of
Loss.
Acetylene-torch   carelessness .
Alcohol-vapour explosion.......
Ashes against wood	
Asphalt boiling over—	
Boiler insufficiently protected.,.	
Broken  gasoline-line _ -	
Bunsen burner, carelessness with _
Candle  carelessness.  ..—,._	
Carburettor back-firing J	
Car upset  -	
Children playing with fire _	
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe _
Coal-gas  explosion ___ ___ ___	
Coal-oil carelessness -	
Collision  _..  	
Curtains  from  lamp —_ _	
Curtains from stove __ '.	
Defective acetylene-tank  _.
Defective brooder.. ____ :	
Defective chimney..   :.._	
Defective film  .....
Defective fireplace.  __:_	
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe..
Defective oil-burner. —  	
Defective oven   	
Defective stove or stove-pipe __
Defective wiring   ,
Dust explosion.—  	
Electrical appliances.	
Engine back-firing,— _	
Exposure —   .'.	
Firecrackers  __ _.
Friction of cable -  	
Friction of loose rail  	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected..
Gas explosion —   _ 	
Gasoline carelessness      	
Gasoline explosion  ,   	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe  	
Gasoline-pump damaged by car _  	
Gasoline-torch carelessness  	
Gas-plate   insufficiently   protected   —
Grease on stove   _	
Hot slag falling on wood _. _	
Incendiary  ___   ___	
Lamp  upset _ _
Lantern upset..*- _   __ _
Lightning.....    _ 	
Live coals    _	
Match carelessness — 	
Matches, children with     _ „
Mattress too near stove  „	
Melted wax falling on smoke-pipe	
Molten metal—  	
Oil-furnace back-firing.. _.	
Oil-stove explosion  _ 	
Overheated electric motor...- 	
Overheated lime rock	
Overheated machinery bearings 	
Paint-remover, being heated, ignited..
Red-hot rivets 	
Sawdust-burner back-firing _ „.
Sawdust-burner insufficiently protected-
Short circuit  __  	
Smokers* carelessness  	
2
13
55
1
1
11
1
14
30
5
7
70
4
5
4
1
3
1
7
250
1
23
15
15
2
25
28
1
169
$780
730
15,430
450
408
3,362
22
3,458
8,206
3,558
1,756
8,426
585
1,712
11,845
2
192
5
911
124,160
30
1,816
26,143
3,958
1,694
14,820
35,941
126
848,914
4
29,135
124
268,363
6
98
1
45,288
1
100
46
119,844
9
373
28
49,961
5
10,653
4
472
1
300
11
2,513
3
38
72
16,819
2
300
44
373,509
6
2,372
2
3,638
6
1,236
20
5,438
55
4,578
76
15,019
1
22
1
70
8
18,773
5
35,237
1
15,321
1
14,260
2
300
1
27,405
2
52
1
10
12
18,861
3
18
163
41,217
1,175
118,500 E  12
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE III.—CAUSES OF FIRES—Continued.
Causes of Fires.
Number.
Amount of
Loss.
Sparks from acetylene-torch..
Sparks from boiler- 	
Sharks from bonfire 	
Sparks from burning rubbish-
Sparks from bush fire	
.Sparks from chimney...	
Sparks from engine	
Sparks from fireplace	
Sparks from forge.- _	
Sparks from furnace or furnace-pipe..
Sparks  from  locomotive  	
Sparks from mill burner 	
Sparks from picker-machine.	
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe	
Sparks from welding-machine 	
Spontaneous  combustion  	
Static electricity _	
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected-
Stove explosion .'.	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected..
Tar boiling over  	
Thawing   pipes. - _	
Thawing radiator _	
Unknown.	
Wood too near furnace  _  	
Wood too near stove —	
Totals .
3
4
5
39
16
352
3
276
2
11
1
4
2
58
2
32
2
3
13
152
6
44
3
364
2
4,068
$1,728
24,485
2,315
19,277
78,470
104,827
107,819
6,754
1,320
4,192
3,600
10,351
• 18,096
21,741
257
78,329
15,722
2,853
4,317
119,721
5,023
31,830
58
972,151
662
556
$3,995,987 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 13
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
1
254
•
1
1
263
8
2
1
$5,895-
2
$69
62
141
2
20
6,743
25
581
1,338
1,173
55
41
964
75
34
378
51
77
130
13
10,214
10
11,713
67
726
13
1,918
15
2,795
3
4
1
1
38
1
Defective chimney  	
1
1
11
Exposure -  	
Furnace  insufficiently  protected   -	
2
1
2
Gasoline-torch carelessness  _	
3
2
■
3
Live coals _	
2
2
'
3
2
Smokers'  carelessness   	
Sparks from burning rubbish - — —
Sparks from chimney !,..„',.._	
Sparks from fireplace  — _ 	
90
1
46
7
1
Sparks from stove   — _	
2
11
1
10
1
1
39,443-.
253
450'
Automobiles  —	
Alcohol-vapour explosion	
12
1
$705
575
3,362
1,413
3,558
1,845
251
1,969
12
781
472
62
1,025
885
8,080
7,695
2,523
58
12,631
11
26
5
3
Defective wiring 	
Exposure —	
Firecrackers    	
8
4
1
4
4
1
2
3
83
67
2
3
23
1
Tar boiling over — — .'.	
Thawing  radiator    ,	
47,902
$5,275
200
1,534
75
4
309
4,490
'1
1
1
1
1
2
1
11,887
$20
5,627
1
5,647 E 14
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Barns -	
..      44
.       12
Defective chimney   	
1
2
1
$225
1,764
202
2,255
4,717
2,689
2,038
3,433
611
500
9,365
3,600
7,277
14,101
1
1
4
1
5
1
1
9
1
2
14
2
1
4
5
2
Spontaneous combustion  — 	
$52,777
$14
15
25,617
22,471
2
Sparks from chimney    	
48,117
1,320
Boarding-houses 	
9
2
.    .        6
$25
75
187
20
15
322
$1,577
33,300
34,877
■     $1,425
1,950
350
1
3,725
452
3
9
1
4
1
Friction of loose rail  	
$100
310
410
$260
16,000
2,300
10
1,506
1,383
2,031
Unknown _	
6
23,490
6,735
$11
50
105,926
2,556
Smokers'  carelessness  _ _  _	
108,543
—      21
$911
106
5
103
7
1,827
124
10
150
7,210
Grease on stove -	
Smokers' carelessness	
Unknown    .,	
10,453 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 15
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
-—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Churches
Clubs
Dry-cleaning establishments
12
Dwellings
.2,389
Ashes against wood 	
Defective wiring  	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Smokers' carelessness 	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown   _  	
Electrical appliances 	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Smokers' carelessness	
Sparks from chimney  	
Sparks from fireplace   -
Sparks from stove  	
Spontaneous combustion 	
Stove insufficiently protected 	
Unknown    	
Sparks from chimney
Unknown   	
Defective chimney 	
Electrical appliances
Gasoline carelessness
Gasoline explosion 	
Short  circuit   	
Smokers' carelessness
Unknown     	
Ashes against wood 	
Candle  carelessness   	
Children playing with fire  	
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe .
Coal-gas explosion   	
Coal-oil carelessness  	
Curtains from stove —	
Defective chimney  	
Defective fireplace  — 	
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective stove or stove-pipe
Defective  wiring	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure   	
Firecrackers   - 	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected .
Gas explosion     	
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline explosion	
Gasoline-torch carelessness
Grease on stove  	
Incendiary  	
Lamp  upset  	
Lantern upset —	
Lightning    	
Live  coals   	
Match carelessness   —
Matches, children with 	
Mattress too near stove   	
Oil-furnace back-firing 	
Paint-remover, being heated, ignited
Sawdust-burner back-firing  	
Sawdust-burner insufficiently protected
Short circuit  _	
10
7
58
4
4
1
177
22
11
9
21
13
115
42
3
33
7
8
2
4
56
12
4
1
5
17
40
44
1
4
2
10
2
34
$15
16,088
1,469
134
827
7,293
$27
75,000
535
25
10
1,412
30
115
608
$101
650
$203
229
22,582
603
200
24
885
$8,268
3,386
1,756
5,748
585
1,312
2
88,985
1,791
6,951
1,650
12,997
9,052
7,059
21,570
53
11,543
278
7,272
5,333
69
3,474
7,060
420
1,600
920
5,372
2,797
6,615
22
237
52
2,267
12
8,452
$25,826
751
24,726 E 16
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Electrical sub-stations
Engines ._ - — 4
Factories  (bed and mattress) .. 1
Factories  (brush)      1
Factories  (cheese)    1
Factories   (furniture)   .— - . 2
Factories (insulating material)
Factories   (jam)     :  1
Factories  (paper-box)  1
Factories  (roof products)     1
Factories   (sash and door)     2
Factories   (spring manufacturing)   .— —  1
Factories  (trunk and bag)    1
Fences   -   - 1
Fire-halls    _ _  2
Fishing-boats
Foundries
Fruit-packing plants
Fur-storage plants —
Gaols  _	
20
Smokers'  carelessness  — 	
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 stove or stove-pipe
Spontaneous combustion  	
Stove explosion
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Tar boiling over  _ - —
Thawing pipes 	
Unknown     —   — -
Wood too near furnace .
Wood too near stove 	
Short circuit .
Unknown  	
Carburettor back-firing
Unknown     —
Sparks from picker-machine
Electrical appliances 	
Sparks from chimney 	
Electrical  appliances   	
Static electricity 	
Oil-furnace back-firing
Unknown  	
Incendiary - -	
Spontaneous combustion
Unknown   	
Sparks from boiler —	
Unknown     	
Electrical appliances
Exposure   —	
Sparks from burning rubbish
Smokers' carelessness —	
Sparks from furnace 	
Exposure  	
Stove insufficiently protected
Unknown   _ 	
Defective chimney   	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure     	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Molten metal 	
Short  circuit  — — _	
Sparks from chimney 	
Sparks from furnace 	
Spontaneous combustion
Unknown    	
Unknown    _
Electrical appliances .
Smokers' carelessness
682
3
15
4
256
1
262
6
44
7
11
91
1
32
150
2
$39,779
915
777
2,476
85,295
1,750
6,545
377
12,148
4,362
2,801
25,846
15
9,512
149,826
662
556
$1,400
3,122
$961
3,104
$25
16,022
$35,000
2,535
$50
5,555
$52
2,856
$1,150
150
9,265
$300
100
285
45
18,489
200
4
128
14,725
29,350
$578,602:
4,522
4,065
158
187
2,262
37,535
46,207
438
3,137
5,605
11
253
5
2,908
10,565
63,626
17,821
827,570
20 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 17
TABLE IV.-
-CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
Garages  	
Gasoline-stations 	
Graders	
Greenhouses	
Halls  	
....      66
t
  -  -       1
        8
      11
         1
$180
50
5,750
5,100
61,388
13,393
220
124,200
125
541
14,844
3,156
351
182
5
897
143
257
2,298
2,256
10,750
         1
Carburettor back-firing   , 	
1
         2
Exposure   „
        7
         4
         1
Incendiary	
„          3
         1
5
         1
Short circuit  	
         8
         5
3
         1
Sparks from chimney  	
Sparks from engine   	
Sparks from welding-machine 	
.-:      4
l
2
         1
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protecte
Unknown   -	
d -        4
-          10
1
$120
300
20
7.358
           1
         1
1
         1
               1,000
$65
200
10
         1
             1
1
Defective wiring 	
         1
1
$4,250
6
23,565
233
110
5
698
2,890
        2
         1
1
2
1
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protecte
d          2
2
Incendiary    _. —	
         1
1
$1,072
400
Hospitals 	
Hotels 	
      12
 _...    115
Grease on stove  -* 	
Match carelessness   —	
Smokers' carelessness   -	
1
          1
         3
4
$551
98
275
763
100
1,453
203
1
1
         1
Ashes against wood  	
Candle carelessness  	
Curtains from stove 	
         1
1
         1
3
$9
10
170
12,193
8,067
59,922
658
21,236
150
50
176
         4
        3
6
Smokers'  carelessness  	
        84
1
          1
3
2 E  18
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
-—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
House-boats
Ice-cream plants
Launches    -	
Laundries
Logging camps
26
Lumber piles ..
Machine-shops
Mining properties
Motor-cycles
Offices 	
Oil-houses  	
Oil refineries
Paper-mills 	
Spontaneous combustion ,. 	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown     , ——   _.
Sparks from chimney   	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown    	
Carburettor back-firing
Exposure  	
Gasoline carelessness 	
Matches, children with _
Short circuit  	
Unknown   -
Defective chimney
Incendiary   	
Match carelessness	
Sparks from chimney „.
Unknown    	
Engine back-firing
Friction of cable ....
Short circuit  _..-
Smokers' carelessness   U 	
Sparks from bush fire _ ,         1
Sparks from chimney      _	
Unknown  _  —IX	
Unknown	
Defective acetylene-tank
Exposure  	
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness
Stove insufficiently protected
Unknown  	
Short circuit  .	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from chimney
Unknown   	
Carburettor back-firing .	
Bunsen burner, carelessness with
Clothes too near stove 	
Electrical appliances __■—	
Exposure  — 1+ -—
Grease on stove ,.-.__—. _	
Incendiary z.	
Match carelessness 	
Oil-stove explosion 	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from chimney
Sparks from stove 	
Spontaneous combustion _
Stove insufficiently protected
Thawing pipes	
Unknown 	
Unknown   	
Sparks from furnace
Defective wiring 	
$605
19,809
166
$15
175
$32
250
300
50
150
3,400
$186
19,451
416
48
2,690
$23,333
45,288
1,641
3,471
75,989
141
34,710
$5
3,415
109
96
650
3,240
$5,468
75
265
250
$22
10
28
4,439
1,027
1,554
4
15,321
660
883
204
30
35
1,059
500
5
$496
$123,221
190
14,984
4,182
184,573
71
7,515
6,.058
50
25,781
3,300
30 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E  19
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
5
Sparks from acetylene-torch  	
1
$1,500
49,310
2
_.         1
$51,306
$887
35,236
214,018
2
3
Spontaneous combustion —	
         1
3
Sparks  from  chimney  —
         1
:.       l
250,141
Piggeries   -  -
$900
3,450
Short circuit   .—
       2
1
4,350
Power-houses 	
$1,658
1,150
6
1
2,808
Printing-offices	
$1,967
66
70
284
7,135
1
25
X
1
Melted wax falling on smoke-pipe	
1
2
          1
          1
9,522
25
          1
$5
400
171
17,906
4,500
80
4,407
11,909
2,078
123
118
705
9,779
1
1
Exposure    —_  —
2
1
Gas  explosion — „__—
Grease on stove  . ....
         1
         4
         3
.:!
Short circuit -
         3
4
Stove-pipe insufficiently protected	
Thawing pipes  '■ -
Unknown   — :..-	
Tar boiling over    '
Clothes too near stove . —
1
2
         1
         1
         1
         8
Rinks ;■
$22
132
86
4,330
23
15
22
41
1,545
689
70
10
25
3,672
43
Rooming-houses
113
_.
1
         4
2.
:.
Incendiary     . 	
Live  coals .'— —   — „ ?
Match carelessness   j:—- ....
Matches,  children with  ....
         1
1
2
2
71
E   1
Sparks from chimney '"' — .-.._
          7
         4
•    .
Stove explosion ^ _' __ !
1
         1
• :
8
         1
10,682
6,400
Roundhouses
Sawmills  ... *
_         1
$600
408
1,900
50
14,260
27,405
23,682
10,271
71,914
12
1
         1
1
1
1
; _
Sparks from boiler - :	
:__-     2
._         2
          13
Alcohol-vapour explosion .■•■,-■■•- ■ „.-	
Clothes too near stove —„  -
         1
         1
150,490
$25
10 E 20
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
72
        2
Electrical appliances  	
1
1
$42
775
6,422
51
105
377
713
Sparks from burning rubbish -	
1
2
1
1
Sparks from stove.. 	
3
3
$8,520
Sheds         	
$70
10
40
6,500
700
2,009
5,690
100
678
20
882
900
904
210
76
221
3,899
20
7,847
1
2
4
1
1
7
1
8
1
>'
Gasoline-torch carelessness _ —
Incendiary -	
Match carelessness  	
Matches, children with  	
10
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from burning rubbish	
1
4
3
1
2
Sparks from mill burner  _	
Spontaneous  combustion _ 	
6
2
14
1
30,775
$3,342
180
3
4
6
14
Sparks from acetylene-torch 	
Sparks from boiler  —	
Unknown   	
1
1
2
1
3,522
47,423
Shingle-mills	
$753
46,670
$10
120
255
2
1
Short circuit 	
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
385
Shipyards     ■■	
$12
48
110
171
Sparks from burning rubbish  	
341
$25
150
550
75
40
300
300
400
700
75
150
2
1
Defective furnace   	
Furnace insufficiently protected _ 	
1
2
Overheated lime rock ,	
2
2
Static electricity—	
1
1
1
2
1
Unknown 	
2,765
3,136
Stables 	
183
4
$725
5
4,036
4,136
3,570
31,163
Clothes too near stove	
1
6
1
Defective wiring -	
Electrical appliances  — _	
Exposure  — „	
12
21 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 21
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
15
26
2
      42
Firecrackers  — 	
2
2
1
1
1
2
5
2
2
4
6
78
2
4
1
1
2
2
5
4
11
2
1
1
1
5
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
4
6
2
1
3
1
3
1
1
1
2
3
1
3
1
17
4
6
1
4
1
2
1
2
$33
489
16
1,307
78
19
560
148,626
142
2,321
4,458
17,595
1,432
206
75
5
7,411
871
1,687
20,929
32,698
Gas explosion  — 	
Gasoline carelessness   	
Match carelessness — _ _ 	
Matches, children witfi —	
Smokers' carelessness   _  x	
Sparks from stove  - _	
Spontaneous  combustion  	
Thawing pipes - _	
$284,592
$315
25
12
6
1,997
60
449
725
Match carelessness -	
3,689
$9
4,173
1,042
19
5,742
4,315
165
12
215
2,367
119
2,100
Smokers' carelessness   — —.	
Sparks from chimney  	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected	
Tar boiling over — —     '	
Thawing pipes 	
20,278
$19
20
39
$2U5
134
204
864
26
1,825
150
3,380
50
17,271
S
Smokers' carelessness   	
Sparks from chimney    	
24,099
$10,000
1,003
6
11,003
$30
105
Electrical appliances  	 E 22
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
•—Continued.
Property.
Causes.
Amount of Loss.
1
1
Exposure  - - -
2
1
$392
2,428
1
$2,955
1,010
1
40
6
1
1
$2,200
384
320
150
100
4,500
38
        2
.   .        1
1
1
.   _       1
3
7,654
$3,064
160
126
174
3,700
24,909
410
6,759
316
25
700
1,750
1,152
17,938
7,811
18,806
72,971
1
1
2
1
4
2
1
1
1
Matches, children with _ '. - 	
1
1
Smokers' carelessness  _	
Sparks from picker-machine ■   — j	
5
1
2
4
7
1
160,771
$135
65
        3
Unknown - — — — .'-■—
1
2
200
$2,750
3,352
8
4,068
1
1
1
1
4.068
6,102
$25
1,300
107
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected — .._.	
Unknown —	
1,432 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1943.
E 23
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BRITISH COLUMBIA.
TABLE VI.—LOSS OF LIFE, 1939-43.
Cause of Fire.
Loss of Life.
Occupancy.
Adults.
Children.
Clothes too near stove....	
1
5
1
Dwelling 	
1
Dwelling ,. „	
1
Smokers' carelessness , ._ 	
1
Dwelling —	
Unknown _ — ■  	
Dwelling	
Unknown _ _	
-
1
Totals, 1943   -
24
16
13
7
7
5
Totals, 1942    	
16
Totals, 1941	
3
Totals, 1940   	
Totals, 1939 	
VICTORIA, B.C. :
Printed by Charles F. Banfield. Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1844.
680-444-8993