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 THE FIRE MARSHAL
FOR THE  PROVINCE  OF BRITISH  COLUMBIA
THIRTIETH
ANNUAL REPORT
STATISTICS, 1951
VICTORIA, B.C.
Printed by Don McDiarmid, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
1952  To His Honour Clarence A. Wallace, C.B.E.,
Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia.
May it please Your Honour:
The undersigned has the honour to present the Thirtieth Annual Report of the Fire
Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1951.
GORDON S. WISMER,
A ttor ney-General.
Victoria, B.C., March 31st, 1952. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Report of the Fire Marshal  5
Table I.—Inspections Made and Orders Issued by Local Assistant Fire Marshals  6
Table II.—Fires Reported  7
Construction of Buildings Burned  8
Table III.—Causes of Fires '.  9
Table IV.—Classification of Property Burned and Causes  10
Table V.—Summary  21
Table VI.—Ten-year Comparative Statement of Fire Losses  21
Table VII.—Loss of Life, 1942-51  22 REPORT OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
Office of the Fire Marshal,
Vancouver, B.C., March 31st, 1952.
The Honourable Gordon S. Wismer, Q.C.,
A ttorney-General,
Victoria, B.C.
Sir,—I beg to enclose herewith the Thirtieth Annual Report of the Fire Marshal
for the year ended December 31st, 1951.
I regret to report that the fire loss for the year 1951 shows an increase of $1,500,000
over the previous year. Some of the largest contributing causes to the total of $8,604,426
were incendiary fires, which accounted for almost $600,000, and the cause that is always
With us, smokers' carelessness, accounted for approximately $500,000. We find that
commercial fires, or those set for the purpose of obtaining insurance money, seem to be
more numerous than they have been for the last eight or ten years.
There were twenty-seven fires with a loss of over $50,000 each. These accounted
for an aggregate of $3,298,685. Of these fires, eleven were over $100,000. Of these
eleven, four were over $200,000, and of these four, one was over $400,000.
Lives lost through fire during the year amounted to forty-nine, of which nineteen
were men, twelve women, and eighteen children. During the year there were sixteen arson
prosecutions in which members of the Investigation Branch of the Office took part. These
resulted in eleven convictions, one acquittal, two committed to mental hospital, and in
two a stay of proceedings was entered. Three were prosecuted for conspiracy to commit
arson, two of which were convicted and one acquitted. There was one prosecution for
negligently causing fire, with one conviction.
There were eighteen prosecutions for offences under the " Fire Marshal Act "and
Regulations made pursuant thereto, with eighteen convictions.
The Travelling Instructional Unit has been very active throughout the year, which
can be seen by the following statistics: 3,175 attended classes held throughout the
Province, 546 of whom obtained certificates; 224 showings of fire-prevention films were
given at these classes. During their travelling our instructors have made 1,050 inspections
with the local authorities.
I would like to thank everyone whose co-operation and help has assisted in the
work of this Office.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
W. A. WALKER,
Fire Marshal. K 6
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY LOCAL
ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHALS
District Municipalities (28)
Village Municipalities (41)
City Municipalities (35)
Inspections
Orders
Inspections
Orders
3
1
~4
3
~2
Nelson. .   .    _
643
5,943
672
7
151
111
85
191
280
351
409
182
24
47
68
Enderby       .	
Prince George 	
3
544
24
3
408
5
Revelstoke _
1,173
37,915
340
24,458
Slocan
Trail	
Vancouver __	
Vernon    	
Victoria	
Totals         — 	
Kelowna     ; _	
Kimberley _	
Ladysmith-         .  ..
1,018
28
6
44
1
14
1,180
75,882
459
308
10
17
1
395
1,922
71
Oak Bay       ..    	
14
Pearhlanr.
Coquitlam _ _._ 	
Delta      _  	
238
Rir.hmnnd
Saanich _	
277
319
8
2
Spallumcheen....   _. 	
Sumas         -	
Summerland          .         .   ..
Surrey	
Tadanac  	
Glenmore.      , 	
Kent                                       	
15
25
	
Langley 	
252
58
1
28
Matsqui	
Totals         _   _
3,820
141
7
McBride 	
Alert Bay                                     .  _
	
18
Oliver _ 	
Osoyoos
Parksville „        	
	
Princeton .  	
45
23
Quesnel _ _ 	
Salmo	
Silverton 	
Smithers  	
Squamish 	
19
Fort St. John 	
4
Harrison Hot Springs   -
Hope
235
9
Terrace 	
Tofino       ,
Vanderhoof ._ _ _ _	
Westview	
Will iams Lak e 	
Totals	
55
	
Lytton      	
193
68
641
35 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 7
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY LOCAL
ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHALS—Continued
Fire Districts (20)
Inspections
Orders
Inspections
Orders
_
7
Sooke        — -
1,257
314
8
Vernon         .. •
223
	
Langford  _ 	
Yale, County of.  	
Totals..            - —   .
64
105
1,978
9
Grand totals.
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
1950 _
1949 _
1948.
Grand totals, 1947 _
Grand totals, 1946.
Grand totals, 1945 _
Grand totals, 1944.
Grand totals, 1943..
Grand totals, 1942-
Inspections
_ 82,321
— 82,526
_ 85,081
_ 83,918
— 74,477
.... 50,904
.... 60,638
.... 58,496
... 56,344
_ 70,181
Orders
644
1,206
1,649
1,976
1,596
1,096
1,350
1,598
1,702
1,536
TABLE II.—FIRES REPORTED
City Municipalities (35)
Districts Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
Districts Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
24
5
23
19
16
5
17
4
13
10
5
53
6
58
13
14
11
89
1
$16,074
2,540
22,614
3,439
2,814
235
783
884
5,423
7,259
48,315
14,201
1,679
13,795
9,106
1,813
16,810
17,947
Nelson 	
29    |      $10,542
208     [        338 3fi9
100
55
63
15
11
41
31
21
8
8
40,670
125,146
19,849
11,338
20,161
130,519
30,676
2,913
341
Courtenay 	
Penticton  	
Port Moody  .
Enderby.  - -
Prince George  	
Greenwood  	
Rossland  .
Kaslo  	
Kelowna ~   —	
Kimberley.	
Ladysmith   . —
Merritt  	
Slocan :_ _	
Trail  _	
Vancouver	
Vernon	
Victoria    ..
Totals	
2    |          3,050
45    j        21,227
2,712    |    1,694,356
27    |        38,726
406    |        80,027
4,167    | $2,755,943 K 8
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE II.—FIRES REPORTED—Continued
District Municipalities (28)
Districts Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
Districts Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
341
9
37
2
45
35
66
3
3
8
44
43
22
10
29
$84,463
20,128
16,716
230
37,189
172,524
10,204
5,145
129
15,237
155,059
94,868
73,237
15,817
14,996
97
112
2
7
88
177
2
3
14
9
153
64
110
$35,200
Dak Ray
11,063
Peachland. ._   .
141
3,293
Richmond 	
74,055
Delta	
34,418
27,884
Spallumcheen 	
Sumas 	
Summerland  	
Surrey-     .
Tadanac    __ _ _._ 	
7,482
Glenmore 	
Kent   	
Langley.-     	
Maple Ridge	
11,503
11,089
200,915
14,820
39,079
Totals
1,540
$1,186,884
Village Municipalities (41)
Abbotsford	
Alert Bay	
Burns Lake	
Campbell River __
Castlegar__
Chapman Camp..
Comox 	
Cranberry Lake _
Creston .  _.
Dawson Creek.
Fort St. John....
Gibsons Landing _
Harrison Hot Springs..
Hope 	
Invermere  —
Kinnaird 	
Lake Cowichan.
Lillooet	
Lytton	
Marysville	
Mission City	
22
3
3
15
3
1
10
9
6
12
4
1
1
7
$63,624
4,950
164
3,463
11,744
12,577
291
1,305
856
15.617
1,662
45
23
22,586
11,448
1,560
25
33
151,026
McBride 	
New Denver	
North Kamloops..
Oliver	
Osoyoos	
Parksville	
Pouce Coupe	
Princeton	
Qualicum Beach.
Quesnel	
Salmo	
Silverton	
Smithers	
Squamish	
Stewart	
Terrace 	
Tofino 	
Vanderhoof	
Westview	
Williams Lake _
Totals.
1
2
7
5
2
9
2
5
14
6
1
15
3
2
7
3
4
20
$125
954
3,838
9,429
366
1,795
45
3,864
226
11,487
438
15
75,001
982
1,811
9,589
137
277
466,841
88,862
256    [    $979,081
Fire Districts (20)
Annable-Warfield
Cariboo, County of.
Colwood	
District Lot 172 _
loco —__ 	
Kelowna	
Kootenay, County of _
Langford 	
Nanaimo, County of __
Pacific Mills Limited .
Powell River 	
Prince Rupert, County of.
2
118
5
7
1
9
119
6
193
12
9
52
$262
588,185
5,419
177
35
3,722
234.063
5,873
652,110
15,738
409
222,705
Sooke  	
University Area	
Vancouver, County of _
Vernon	
Victoria, County of _
View Royal	
Westminster, County of _
Yale, County of	
Totals _
Grand total.
6
22
62
1
70
8
43
181
$1,016
1,055
1,352,982
8,376
119,931
1,362
103,202
365,896
926      $3,682,518
6,889    I $8,604,426
I
Construction of buildings burned-
Fire-resistive 	
Brick, concrete, or heavy timber-
Wood frame  	
Metal or corrugated iron-
Totals
6,889
Amount of Loss
$4,445-
643,431
7,668,652
287,898
$8,604,426 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 9
TABLE III.—CAUSES OF FIRES
Causes of Fires
Number
Amount
of Loss
Causes of Fires
Number
Amount
of Loss
Acetylene-torch carelessness..
Alcohol-vapour explosion	
Ashes against wood _ 	
Asphalt boiling over	
Broken gasoline-line .
Bunsen burner, carelessness with.
Candle carelessness 	
Car upset-
Children playing with fire ___.
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe
Coal-gas explosion	
Collision 	
Core oven, being overstocked,  set
fire to wiring 	
Curtains from stove 	
Defective acetylene equipment.
Defective battery connection
Defective brick-kiln key	
Defective brooder 	
Defective chimney	
Defective fireplace.
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe _
Defective gas oven	
Defective muffler	
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective oil-burning equipment.
Defective stove or stove-pipe	
Defective wiring 	
Dust explosion __  	
Electrical appliances	
Engine back-firing .	
Exposure.
Firecrackers _-	
Friction in drive-shaft	
Friction of logging-cable ~
Friction on brake-drum	
Friction on conveyor-belt _
Friction on tires 	
Friction sparks.
Fuel-oil, carelessness in use of	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently
protected  _
Gas explosion .
Gasoline carelessness _. 	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe	
Gasoline-torch carelessness	
Gasoline-vapour explosion	
Gas-plate insufficiently protected..
6
2
54
2
12
1
51
21
16
141
1
4
2
1
1
9
263
29
12
1
1
58
33
27
31
9
372
48
133
76
1
1
9
1
1
7
2
52
10
37
21
24
28
1
$796
38
8,928
560
6,170
180
4,935
39,989
6,045
17,938
1,929
16,363
50
371
2,312
166
44,550
2,762
339,380
22,233
4,659
80
200
36,555
8,716
33,585
51,703
1,084
191,843
32,347
747,085
13,490
10
1,780
2,095
2,000
75
36,3P1
8,754
177,845
2,407
45,994
5,113
12,159
24,696
1,404
Grease on stove..  	
Heat radiation 	
Hot poker, carelessness with	
Hot slag from retort igniting cartons
Hot stove-lid falling on floor	
Ignition of metallic powder	
Incendiary   __. _
Kerosene carelessness	
Lamp explosion   	
Lamp upset   	
Lightning _
Live coals — —	
Match carelessness	
Matches, children with	
Molten metal '.	
Oil-burner explosion _ 	
Overheating of machinery bearings __
Paint vapours igniting  	
Sawdust-burner back-firing	
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch	
Sparks from boiler 	
Sparks from bonfire  	
Sparks from bush fire -	
Sparks from chimney 	
Sparks from electric welder	
Sparks from engine	
Sparks from fireplace	
Cparks from forge	
Sparks from furnace or furnace-pipe
Sparks from mill burner—..	
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe	
Sparks from welding machine	
Spontaneous ignition	
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected —
Stock piled against chimney 	
Stove explosion ._   	
Stove   or   stove-pipe   insufficiently
protected  	
Thawing pipes 	
Turpentine, carelessness in use of	
Unknown 	
Varnish boiling over	
Wood too near furnace	
Wood too near stove  	
Totals	
129
9
1
1
1
1
65
7
2
10
13
12
73
107
3
21
3
7
10
447
2,473
24
6
84
17
210
3
1
385
1
28
14
118
1
22
3
1
14
247
25
2
646
1
7
6
6,889
$25,395
2,935
1,500
1,300
15
41
535,891
6,132
2,776
9,343
328,736
411
14,647
33,222
1,350
24,440
28,160
31,478
11,077
299,525
439,658
35,550
46,300
91,350
84,321
123,997
16,250
100
14,167
1,674
15,964
96,283
59,470
98
15,802
4,553
443
2,603
238,851
43,917
87
3,940,019
350
8,093
8,397
5,604,426 K 10 BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Aircraft
Apartments
Asphalt-mixing machines
Asphalt plants 	
Automobile courts 	
Automobiles
387
764
Acetylene-torch carelessness ._
Unknown    	
Ashes against wood 	
Candle carelessness	
Clothes too near stove _
Curtains from stove	
Defective chimney	
Defective furnace	
Defective oil-burner	
Defective oil-burning equipment ..
Electrical appliances	
Exposure  	
Firecrackers 	
Furnace-pipe insufficiently protected-
Gas explosion   	
Gasoline-torch carelessness
Gasoline-vapour explosion .
Grease on stove	
Incendiary
Match carelessness 	
Matches, children with..
Oil-burner explosion	
Paint vapours igniting	
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness ...
Sparks from bonfire 	
Sparks from chimney	
Sparks from fire-place	
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe-
Spontaneous ignition 	
Stove explosion
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected.
Thawing pipes
Turpentine, carelessness in use of__
Unknown _ 	
Wood too near furnace.
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Asphalt boiling over_ 	
Candle carelessness	
Clothes too near stove	
Defective chimney
Defective oil-burning equipment-
Defective stove  	
Electrical appliances 	
Grease on stove.. 	
Sawdust-burner back-firing
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Thawing pipes	
Unknown 	
Acetylene-torch carelessness
Alcohol-vapour explosion .._
Ashes against wood	
Broken gasoline-line	
Car upset _ 	
Collision 	
Defective muffler	
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances
Engine back-firing —
Exposure
Firecrackers 	
Friction in drive-shaft	
Friction on brake-drum.
Friction on tires	
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe	
Gasoline-torch carelessness
Gasoline-vapour explosion _
Heat radiation 	
Incendiary
Match carelessness	
Matches, children with..
1
1
1
2
7
1
22
2
1
1
22
8
5
1
2
2
1
8
2
6
3
2
1
7
212
4
16
7
6
2
3
10
3
2
14
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
$500
55,226
$343
162
350
41
5,823
126
1,285
148
6,762
6,616
199
35
159
125
681
557
9,811
3,291
396
132
994
2,135
102,355
4,791
3,626
94
707
266
385
4,542
1,018
87
29,922
778
$12
49
142
30
500
80
1
140
2
207
22
969
1
75
3
2,566
3
$171
2
38
2
156
12
6,170
21
39,989
8
16,363
1
200
9
1,387
9
1,748
29
6,822
10
2,746
4
686
1
10
6
266
1
75
9
8,369
19
4,505
1
32
9
976
1
15
8
3,945
8
607
4
370
$55,726
188,742
8,000
410
4,858 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 11
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Bakeries
Banks
Barber-shops
Barges
Barns _.
         2
Barracks 	
Blacksmith-shops
Boarding-houses  .
Boat-houses 	
Bowling-alleys
Breweries
Bridges
Bulldozers 	
Bunk-houses
Buses
Canneries (fish) 	
Canneries (fruit and vegetable)
Cellulose plants
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness ~.	
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Sparks from bonfire	
Spontaneous ignition 	
Unknown 	
Acetylene-torch carelessness
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective oil-burning equipment-
Exposure
Furnace insufficiently protected..
Sparks from stove.
Stock piled against chimney-
Unknown   	
Exposure 	
Smokers' carelessness .
Defective oil-burner ...
Exposure 	
Unknown __. 	
Ashes against wood.
Exposure  	
Firecrackers 	
Incendiary 	
Lightning
Matches, children with-
Short circuit 	
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from bush fire-
Spontaneous ignition _
Unknown 	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from forge	
Unknown 	
Defective fireplace —
Electrical appliances
Lamp upset .
Smokers' carelessness
Firecrackers 	
Defective oil-burner
Exposure
Sparks from bonfire.
Unknown 	
Sparks from boiler	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Short circuit 	
Clothes too near stove	
Furnace-pipe insufficiently protected ..
Gasoline carelessness 	
Match carelessness 	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected..
Unknown 	
266
221
6
4
1
89
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
5
1
2
1
3
2
3
16
Friction on brake-drum	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe..
Unknown 	
Unknown 	
Sparks from boiler	
Spontaneous ignition .
Unknown 	
Kerosene carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch..
$37,132
17,615
1,711
1,030
25
36,576
$25
53
293
146
1,420
3,686
443
319
$10
15
$2,856
214
$52
730
1,400
31,109
2,466
812
121
780
2,050
3,431
50,950
$1,674
1,459
$132
20
150
122
$909
1,766
278
9,979
$25
7,000
$22
2,666
1,217
573
6,783
500
6,597
47,515
$1,829
74
200
$240
726
3,404
$412
1,231
$189,735
6,385
25
3,070
3,000
93,901
3,162
3,133
424
5,091
12,932
2,081
7,025
500
65,873
2,103
10,080
4,370
1,643 K 12
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Commit
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Cement-mixers  _
Chemical laboratories
Chlorination plants 	
Churches 	
City halls
Clubs  	
Cold-storage plants
Cook-houses —-	
Cranes 	
Crematories
Dairies   	
Dry-cleaning plants
Dwellings
.4,120
Gasoline-vapour explosion 	
Bunsen burner, carelessness with..
Unknown 	
Clothes too near stove .
Defective chimney	
Electrical appliances ...
Exposure
Gasoline-vapour explosion
Incendiary
Match carelessness 	
Matches, children with
Sparks from chimney	
Unknown 	
Unknown 	
Defective chimney —.
Electrical appliances
Firecrackers _	
Furnace-pipe insufficiently protected
Grease on stove _	
Match carelessness 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from chimney .
Stove-pipe insufficiently protected .
Unknown _ 	
Short  circuit  _  	
Grease on stove	
Sparks from acetylene torch
Unknown 	
Unknown   __
Defective oil-burning equipment
Electrical appliances 	
Short circuit .
Sparks from boiler —
Sparks from chimney
Exposure 	
Incendiary 	
Match carelessness —
Sparks from chimney .
Unknown 	
Ashes against wood 	
Candle carelessness _. 	
Children playing with fire   _.
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe.
Coal-gas explosion 	
Curtains from stove   	
Defective chimney   —	
Defective fireplace
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective oil-burning equipment
Defective stove or stove-pipe
Defective wiring  	
Dust explosion  	
Electrical appliances  	
Exposure
Hot stove-lid falling on floor .
Incendiary   	
Kerosene  carelessness  	
Lamp  explosion 	
Lamp upset  	
Lightning  	
12
Firecrackers   — 	
Fuel-oil, carelessness in use of    	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected .
Gas explosion 	
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline-torch  carelessness    —
Gasoline-vapour explosion 	
Grease on stove   	
Heat radiation — _ 	
38
45
13
112
8
3
199
27
9
33
23
21
13
1
285
39
22
1
36
5
13
13
3
106
5
1
16
5
2
9
5
$60
3,512
77
25
175
2,000
45
30
115
1,825
$10
132
300
1,972
24
70
952
35
75
5,355
$85
600
$49
44
2,660
900
50
$8,975
233
1,715
65
3,250
$6,838
2,593
5,809
16,509
1,929
330
148,073
18,601
4,513
21,153
4,267
28,724
21,735
259
26,625
35,198
1,604
8,500
36,551
1,155
15,966
3,813
4,997
15,852
505
15
38,278
5,675
2,776
9,193
3,311
$160
180
4,756
7,864
12,515
8,925
259
3,188
685
5,360
3,703
14,238 TABLE IV.
REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
-CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
K 13
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
2
6
11
2
3
2-
5
1
2
1
2
1
1
18
30
Live  coals  	
Match carelessness      —
Matches, children with       	
Oil-burner  explosion    	
Paint vapours igniting 	
12
46
76
14
2
9
$411
7,197
24,395
2,447
2,440
10,937
72,379
171,651
32,472
5,822
98,735
13,999
10,658
29,765
7,333
2,093
161,530
20,133
663,708
7,413
6,869
Short  circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness  	
78
1,615
      37
Sparks from bush fire  	
Sparks from chimney	
Sparks from fireplace  —
Sparks from furnace or furnace-pipe 	
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe   -	
Spontaneous ignition —	
        5
162
374
19
96
9
       10
     183
Thawing pipes       _	
Unknown  	
Wood too near furnace  	
Wood too near stove  	
Short circuit   	
Short circuit  	
Unknown     	
Firecrackers   	
14
236
7
5
2
1
5
1
        7
$1,843,734
490
Electrical  sub-stations  	
$8,704
19,693
28,397
Electric-light and telephone poles
$218
1,550
200
500
2
Unknown   _ 	
Friction sparks  	
1
2
1
2,468
5,894
Factories (bed and mattress) —
Factories (brick and tile)	
$44,550
150
1,757
         1
Heat radiation      .  .
1
.   ...       1
46,457
$336
5,009
Exposure _    ...
Smokers'  carelessness __	
Unknown  	
1
1
4
         1
5,345
84,819
1,867
Factories  (furniture)   	
$4,956
79,863
Factories (plastic products)
Exposure    	
1
         1
$65
17,397
1
17,462
3,080
Factories (rock-wool insulation)
Factories (roof products)	
$50
483
1
1
1
533
41
Factories  (rubber goods)- „
Factories  (wooden box)	
Fences _  	
$25
69
10
139
102
75
80
210
1
3,400
Ashes against wood   :	
Exposure    _	
Matches, children with	
Smokers'  carelessness 	
1
3
1
5
3
1
Spontaneous ignition  	
Unknown    	
Defective oil-burner 	
1
3
        2
710
$1,644
500
11,003
1,400
2,500
250
6,500
9,108
35
17,927
11,474
Defective wiring __ 	
1
6
. Gasoline carelessness   	
Gasoline-torch carelessness  	
Gasoline-vapour explosion  _	
Oil-burner explosion   .  	
Short circuit      .
1
1
1
1
2
1
7
Unknown —      ..
7
62,341
L K 14
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Foundries
Freight cars
Frozen-food lockers  	
Fruit   packing   and   processing
plants   	
Gaols
Garages (private)
Garages (public)
Gasoline-shovels
Gasoline-stations
Grandstands
Greenhouses
Halls
36
22
Core oven, being overstocked, set fire to wiring
Defective chimney	
Defective gas-oven 	
Sparks from chimney 	
Unknown	
Hot slag from retort igniting cartons 	
Short circuit 	
Unknown   	
Incendiary ._	
Unknown	
Incendiary 	
Ashes against wood	
Clothes too near stove	
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective stove-pipe 	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure
Firecrackers 	
Gasoline carelessness	
Gasoline-torch carelessness	
Incendiary 	
Matches, children with	
Paint vapours igniting 	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch
Sparks from bonfire 	
Sparks from chimney	
Sparks from stove
Spontaneous ignition	
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected
Stove-pipe insufficiently protected _
Unknown 	
Clothes too near stove 	
Defective acetylene equipment
Defective  chimney	
Defective oil-burner 	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected
Gasoline carelessness	
Gasoline-torch carelessness 	
Gasoline-vapour explosion  	
Heat radiation	
Oil-burner  explosion 	
Short circuit .	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch
Sparks from electric welder _
Sparks from stove .
Stove insufficiently protected
Unknown   _
Smokers' carelessness	
Defective acetylene equipment _
Electrical appliances  	
Exposure — 	
Friction sparks 	
Gasoline-vapour explosion .
Incendiary 	
Short circuit 	
Unknown _ 	
Unknown 	
Defective oil-burner	
Sparks from chimney.	
Stove insufficiently protected.
Exposure 	
Firecrackers 	
Grease on stove.
$50
25
80
73
61,032
$1,300
15
$50,000
17,867
$259
45
224
1,478
20
675
1,178
78
2,788
1,126
550
1,496
2,947
54
3,000
2,600
81
170
382
1,553
2,266
119,220
$58
684
204
82
99,500
207
2,713
12,808
620
15,000
15,459
2,717
30
16,216
1,275
200
143,492
$1,628
75
1,500
5,300
1,975
6,600
462
367
$472
75
125
12
492
$61,260
1,315
137
67,867
28,500
142,190
311,265
210
17,907
4,149
672 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 15
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
_...       17
     155
1
2
$3,500
1,462
52
3,691
21,314
Smokers' carelessness   	
        8
Unknown         7
$30,603
Hospitals .   	
$13
18
100
18
1,021
1,706
60
272
Incendiary   _       1
Match carelessness    _         1
Smokers' carelessness         7
Unknown      ...              1
3,208
Hotels 	
$187
66
71,932
191
1,202
207
147
643
732
25
17,583
12,041
60
531
37
2,750
1,430
90,412
Defective wiring      .
Exposure   - 	
Grease on stove 	
Incendiary    	
Oil-burner explosion —	
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
     121
Sparks from chimney         3
Unknown       _ .. _        8
200,176
2,500
         7
Exposure          3
Gasoline-vapour explosion   _           1
Unknown         _   ..       3
Match carelessness                1
Smokers' carelessness _         2
$1,896
1,129
454
         7
3,479
$459
2,608
250
583
         1
..    .          37
Unknown  —         3
3,900
50
$614,979
1,780
5,186
311,709
68,420
40,593
75,424
3,276
2,115
1,347
460,674
5
Friction sparks   —
Lightning    —
        2
        3
         3
i
           2
        5
         1
         1
         1
Unknown —- , —
Incendiary . —	
Smokers' carelessness	
Unknown   	
Unknown __ _	
       15
         1
        1
        3
2
         1
1,585,503
$5
15
230
2
250
10,945
$350
300
2
9
Smokers' carelessness    .   —	
         1
        1
650
$264
8,414
42,745
        9
        1
        7
7
51,423
Motorcycles _	
$642
275
2
917 K 16
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Offices
Oil-tanks
Paper-mills
Piggeries
Portable pumps —  —	
Portable welding-machines .
Poultry-houses    —
Power-houses
Power-saws 	
Printing plants
Pulp-mills 	
Pump-houses  —	
Pumping stations
Rabbitries 	
Railway-cars   	
Railway-stations
Restaurants  	
Rinks (ice) 	
Rock-crushers
Rooming-houses
36
1
1
133
Clothes too near stove _
Defective chinmey 	
Defective oil-burner ____
Electrical appliances ....
Exposure - _	
Incendiary
Match carelessness
Oil-burner explosion ...
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from bonfire
Stove insufficiently protected.
Unknown   	
Acetylene-torch carelessness
Electrical appliances	
Short circuit  _
Sparks from boiler 	
Unknown  	
Unknown —	
Engine back-firing
Unknown _ 	
Defective brooder   	
Defective oil-burning equipment .
Defective stove or stove-pipe	
Defective wiring	
Incendiary
Match carelessness 	
Matches, children with.
Short circuit —
Sparks from bonfire _.__
Sparks from bush fire._
Sparks from stove.
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected .
Unknown   	
Engine back-firing
Short circuit  	
Thawing pipes 	
Unknown _ _— 	
Exposure — 	
Fuel-oil, carelessness in use of _
Gasoline-torch carelessness 	
Smokers' carelessness	
Sparks from acetylene torch	
Thawing pipes  	
Unknown 	
Electrical appliances
Unknown
Hot poker, carelessness with.
Unknown 	
Sparks from stove-
Unknown  	
Smokers' carelessness
Defective chimney 	
Electrical appliances ~
Exposure —- 	
Firecrackers 	
Grease on stove	
Incendiary
Match carelessness 	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected-
Unknown 	
Incendiary   	
Unknown  	
Candle carelessness 	
Clothes too near stove..
$167
7,847
979
20
9,056
133
13
300
229
4,032
1,273
50
14,366
$800
350
100
474
$2,762
169
1,350
1,181
95
18
25
10
1,000
250
8,725
1,393
9,558
$400
41,039
313
$150
254
74
901
128
20
78,629
$5,344
1,700
$8,825
55
5,236
63
3,233
33,406
5
81
432
3,311
15,517
$78
66
$38,465
100
1,724
63,450
170
728
26,536
41,752
3,143
£0,156
1,416
300
1,500
4,423
7,044
35
70,164
500
5,000 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 17
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Sailboats .
Sawmills
Schools
Sheds
26
90
Defective chimney 	
Electrical appliances ..
Exposure   	
Firecrackers 	
Gasoline carelessness
Grease on stove	
Match carelessness 	
Matches, children with..
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from bonfire.	
Sparks from chimney-
Sparks from fireplace-
Spontaneous ignition .
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected „
Thawing pipes .	
Unknown 	
Unknown 	
Electrical appliances
Engine back-firing
Friction on conveyor belt-
Friction sparks  	
Gasoline carelessness	
Inc endiary 	
Lightning
Overheating of machinery bearings -
Short circuit	
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Sparks from  boiler	
Sparks from bonfire.—	
Sparks from engine	
Sparks from mill burner	
Sparks from stove-
Spontaneous ignition  .	
Stove-pipe insufficiently protected..
Unknown  	
Candle carelessness 	
Defective oil-burner 	
Electrical appliances	
Furnace insufficiently protected .
Gas explosion .
Gasoline-vapour explosion
Incendiary
Short circuit   —
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from chimney-
Sparks from furnace-
Sparks from stove.
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected.
Unknown   	
Ashes against wood	
Children playing with fire-
Clothes too near stove	
Defective chimney  ...
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective stove	
Defective wiring 	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure
Firec r ackers 	
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline-vapour explosion
Incendiary
Matches, children with.
Short circuit  _
Smokers' carelessness _
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from bush fire.—
Sparks from chimney	
Sparks from stove-pipe..
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected.
$3,092
417
190
177
3,575
25
93
4,319
88
2,784
10
2,826
25
100
245
35
46
1
4
$6,340
2
13,000
1
2,000
1
14,001
1
5,407
2
122,103
2
10,292
2
28,120
4
30,845
2
4,050
2
42,979
1
1,300
1
100
12
96,083
1
8,000
1
339
1
2,033
26
436,052
1
$1,903
1
261
1
404
1
1,620
1
694
1
5
1
5,000
2
349
3
137
1
92
1
788
1
245
1
150
2
213
8
223,215
215
293
710
15
400
586
1,342
749
173
75
626
1,498
1,965
647
10,158
3,258
500
100
25
2,971
$18,191
640
823,044
235,076 K 18
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Sheet-metal works .
Shingle-mills 	
Ships
Shipyards —_	
Smelting plants
Slables
Steel-fabricating plants-
Stores     	
1
173
Stores and apartments
46
Causes
Unknown 	
Varnish boiling over-
Paint vapours igniting	
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Electrical appliances „	
Friction sparks 	
Sparks from chimney	
Sparks from mill burner-
Unknown 	
Short circuit 	
Sparks from acetylene torch	
Sparks from welding machine-
Ashes against wood	
Asphalt boiling over	
Defective furnace	
Defective oil-burner	
Defective oil-burning equipment-
Dust explosion 	
Electrical appliances
Furnace insufficiently protected..
Gasoline-torch carelessness	
Molten metal 	
Overheating of machinery bearings _
Short circuit 	
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Sparks from chimney	
Sparks from furnace.
Stove insufficiently protected..
Unknown 	
Sparks from bonfire...
Spontaneous ignition
Wood too near stove .
Molten metal 	
Ashes against wood	
Clothes too near stove..
Defective chimney 	
Defective fireplace
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective oil-burning equipment-
Defective stove 	
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure   	
Firecrackers  .	
Furnace-pipe insufficiently protected _
Gas explosion
Gasoline carelessness	
Gasoline-torch carelessness 	
Gas-plate insufficiently protected .
Grease on stove	
Heat radiation _ 	
Incendiary
Match carelessness 	
Paint vapours igniting _
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from bonfire .
Sparks from chimney
Sparks from furnace .
Sparks from stove 	
Stove explosion
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown     	
Ashes against wood ..
Defective chimney 	
Defective oil-burner ..
Defective wiring 	
Electrical appliances
24
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
8
3
3
2
1
1
20
3
2
4
1
6
1
1
I
1
1
4
4
1
3
2
1
3
9
15
20
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
6
1
1
8
48
3
3
1
2
1
6
22
1
7
2
2
4
Amount of Loss
$57,566
350
$19,190
20
$94,313
6,000
1,124
200
29,763
$3,448
8,739
$25
150
20
1,857
20
825
550
85
55
250
40
8,076
90
823
790
50
7,821
$250
2,700
1,528
$30
174
77,274
3,500
114
2,538
1,133
9,757
3,417
12,310
1,356
120
49
203
34
1,404
364
38
88,867
48
5,491
2,040
7,727
1,049
373
119
135
125
7,826
111,134
$212
4,003
1,217
16,415
391
$85,210
19,210
131,400
12,187
98
21,527
4,478
50
338,749 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 19
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
—      59
5
Exposure —     __.	
Firecrackers      .     .	
3
3
1
$10,114
240
28,344
806
137
558
4,838
3,841
139
12,472
15,788
Grease on stove   	
Matches, children with	
1
1
1
Smokers' carelessness  ..
Sparks from chimney
Sparks from stove    .
Thawing pipes  __
Unknown  	
Defective chimney	
10
1
1
1
7
2
$99,515
$42
13,177
4,595
185
364
88
191
80
6,455
5,750
1,019
682
48,399
Electrical appliances  _.   ~
Exposure 	
Firecrackers _.	
Furnace-pipe insufficiently protected	
4
3
5
1
Grease on stove 	
Matches, children with   „_   . .
Short circuit 	
Smokers'  carelessness
Sparks from chimney —
Sparks from stove	
2
2
1
22
2
3
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected „
Unknown 	
4
8
81,027
Stores and offices	
$21
22
28,982
269
363
35
.   .         4
Defective chimney	
1
Electrical appliances 	
Smokers'  carelessness 	
Sparks from furnace  	
Clothes too near stove	
Defective chimney
Defective oil-burner	
1
1
1
         1
2
1
29,657
Stores and rooms 	
$79
7,443
150
80
14,293
58
25
35
108,350
45
31,190
3,814
20,223
8,687
Electrical appliances     ...
Exposure 	
2
3
1
Firecrackers  -
Gasoline-torch carelessness
1
Grease on stove	
Incendiary   	
Kerosene carelessness    	
Short circuit	
1
2
1
3
Smokers' carelessness -   -
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
10
3
Unknown ___ __
Short circuit 	
4
A
194,472
641
5,000
1
$506
415
16
554
6
....      23
3
Exposure                                                                   i
Smokers' carelessness                                             3
Sparks from chimney                                                             1
Unknown                                                                    i
Defective batttery connection —_                            1
Engine  back-firing                                                     2
Tractors   	
$166
310
997
534
392
1,150
1,263
34
3,891
Gasoline carelessness                                                             s
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe
Gasoline-vapour explosion
Short circuit  	
Sparks from acetylene torch 	
1
Sparks from electric welder                                       l
Unknown                                                 5
Gasoline carelessness                                           1
$8,500
6,000
118
8,737
—.     31
Smokers'  carelessness                                                   1
Sparks from acetylene torch                                                 1
Electrical appliances                                         4
Exposure                                             d
14,618
Warehouses   	
$4,556
1,040
550
247
958
495
Firecrackers  	
Gasoline-vapour explosion
Lightning  	
2
Match carelessness 	
1 K 20
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
3
6
1
6,889
                  1
$125
330
420
487
214,600
         1
Spontaneous ignition 	
         1
         1
Unknown	
Smokers' carelessness
Unknown 	
..      14
          1
2
        1
$223,808
490,813
Wharves    	
$334
490,479
$8,000
22
1,050
90
38,618
Matches, children with
Molten metal 	
Thawing pipes	
Unknown 	
            1
         1
            1
    .         2
1
47,780
185
                        6,889
Totals .
$8,604,426 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1951
K 21
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE VII.—LOSS OF LIFE, 1942-51
Occupancy
Cause of Fire
Loss of Life
Men
Women
Children
. 2
1
_ 1
2
2
1
3
1
1
1
-  2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
Apartment	
Apartment	
Match carelessness  	
Smokers' carelessness  	
Bunk-house ,..
Dwelling  _ 	
Smokers' carelessness  - —
Clothes too near stove __	
1
Dwelling 	
Dwelling 	
Defective fireplace	
Defective stove-pipe	
Electrical appliances      	
1
1
1
2
.... 2
1
2
1
Dwelling	
Kerosene carelessness  __  __
2
4
Dwelling __ 	
— 1
.... 1
6
1
1
1
.... 1
___ 1
  1
Smokers' carelessness  _	
1
5
Hospital 	
Hotel	
Smokers' carelessness	
Office	
Clothes too near stove    __	
Store	
■   1
1
1
Totals. 1951.....   	
19
28
24
29
21
21
25
8
3
5
12
13
6
5
2
7
12
6
21
11
18
Totals, 1950	
19
Totals, 1949 	
15
Totals, 1948
24
Totals, 1947	
16
Totals, 1946	
8
Totals, 1945	
21
Totals, 1944
5
Totals, 1943
5
Totals.  1942
16
183
95
147
VICTORIA, B.C.
Printed by Don McDiarmid, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
1952
720-752-6481