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 THE FIRE MARSHAL
FOR THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
THIRTY-THIRD
ANNUAL REPORT
STATISTICS, 1954
VICTORIA, B.C.
Printed by Don McDiarmid, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
1955  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 Thirty-third Annual Report of the
Fire Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1954.
ROBERT W. BONNER,
A ttorney-General.
Victoria, B.C., March 31st, 1954. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Report of 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 1     8
Table III.—Causes of Fires     9
Table IV.—Classification of Property Burned and Causes  10
Table V.—Summary  20
Table VI.—Ten-year Comparative Statement of Fire Losses  20
Table VII.—Loss of Life, 1945-54  21 REPORT OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
Office of Fire Marshal,
Vancouver, B.C., March 31st, 1955.
The Honourable Robert W. Bonner, Q.C.,
A ttorney-General,
Victoria, B.C.
Sir,—I beg to submit herewith the Thirty-third Annual Report of the Fire Marshal
for the year ended December 31st, 1954.
As in former years the work of the Office has been kept up during 1954. Two
thousand four hundred and seventy persons registered for classes with our travelling
instructional unit and classes were held in 160 communities throughout the Province.
A third pumper placed in service permitted an increase in attendance and places covered,
and this addition and the need of replacement in staff have necessitated engaging five
new instructors.
Our film library has proved to be an asset as a training aid and as fire-prevention
instruction to the general public. We have forty-four films on file and there have been
over 300 film showings throughout the Province during the year.
During the period under review there were sixteen prosecutions for arson, thirteen
convictions and three acquittals. Four of those concerned were found to be delinquents
by the Judge of the Juvenile Court. There was one prosecution for mischief with one
conviction, and eleven prosecutions under the " Fire Marshal Act " and regulations and
eleven convictions.
Our hose-thread programme is up to the schedule we planned and we are well
within the estimated cost of the work.
The fire loss for 1954, I am sorry to say, took a sharp increase from last year, the
total loss being $10,177,702, as compared with $8,080,490 for 1953. There was an
increase of 665 fires, due in part to the continued growth in building construction and
population in the Province. The increase in loss was due to some large fires, one in
particular in the Municipality of Richmond which was responsible for raising the municipal fire loss from $224,260 in 1953 to $1,392,221 in 1954.
The loss of life through fire totalled seventy-two—twenty-nine men, thirteen women,
and thirty children. A study of Table VII will show that many of the fires were the result
of carelessness.
By the time this Report is presented I expect to be retired from the Service, so I
will take this opportunity of most sincerely thanking the members of the staff of the Fire
Marshal's Office, some of whom have been with me through the years of my tenure, for
their whole-hearted co-operation and support during my term of office. I would also
like to thank the many others who have contributed in many ways to the administration.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
W. A. WALKER,
Fire Marshal. G 6
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY LOCAL
ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHALS
City Municipalities (35)
Inspections
Orders
Inspections
Orders
._„.
~~2
~~A~
2
10
5
Nelson _ _        .   .
510
5,814
1,605
663
259
5
385
138
52
North Vancouver	
Penticton 	
Port Alberni	
13
Courtenay-	
"Io
24
48
422
504
155
195
1
Fernie..	
244
103
60
418
71
1,256
574
101
50
1,185
Prince Rupert 	
Revelstoke	
Rossland   _	
Greenwood	
Kamloops 	
	
1
1,351
25,662
280
16,458
1
Trail	
9
Kimberley  	
Ladysmith	
Vancouver 	
Vernon  _	
174
19
Nanaimo...	
58,203
643
District Municipalities (29)
Burnaby ..	
5,848
10
5
~1
~3
North Cowichan	
43
1,215
1,537
4
3
Chilliwhack	
800
Oak Bay . 	
Peachland  _
16
Delta	
211
212
Richmond 	
162
1,457
2
114
26
469
50
78
Esquimalt	
4
7
13
733
43
39
Spallumcheen     	
Sumas 	
Summerland 	
Kent.	
8
32
Maple Ridge- 	
Matsqui...	
Tadanac	
1
25
totals - 	
13,084
87
Village Municipalities (49)
Abbotsford.	
110
58
60
42
20
6
37
22
28
1
~12
9
5
1
2
New Denver.. _    _
60
140
4
Osoyoos _	
253
Castlegar   -
Princeton 	
458
44
89
71
3
1
69
42
31
	
Fort St. John                     	
Smithers	
Squamish '
Stewart  	
Telkwa _   _
355
24
6
156
5
15
104
106
3
177
319
134
55
1
Ucluelet-	
Vanderhoof	
Warfield-	
Westview-  —	
41
34
919
237
2
2
Marysville	
4,306
67 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G 7
TABLE I.—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY LOCAL
ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHALS—Continued
Fire Districts (20)
Inspections
Orders
Inspections
Orders
	
Sooke    __
District Lot 172     	
67
1,393
231
317
149
27
70
269
Westminster, County of 	
168
4
Totals	
2,691
4
Grand totals
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
Grand totals,
1953
1952
1951
1950
1949
1948
1947
1946
1945
Inspections
-. 78,284
— 78,885
_- 80,573
_ 82,321
— 82,526
— 85,081
_ 83,918
.- 74,477
— 50,904
-. 60,638
Orders
801
562
345
644
1,206
1,649
1,976
1,596
1,096
1,350
TABLE II.—FIRES REPORTED
City Municipalities (35)
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
18
5
26
30
14
5
13
6
8
6
1
62
4
67
23
14
16
87
$12,454
157
21,263
34,858
6,948
467
19,509
45,722
1,258
2,919
60
7,696
301
12,235
24,162
1,357
33,197
18,094
38
216
101
70
61
18
11
43
43
25
10
7
37
2,464
35
491
$8,319
1,125,916
22,741
Courtenay—	
Penticton -   _
14,192
42,283
Port Coquitlam	
37,513
686
Enderby  	
Prince George  _
24,534
47,547
Revelstoke  	
Rossland _.   - 	
5,270
Greenwood 	
6,573
527
Slocan  	
Trail 	
Vancouver.-  	
Vernon	
Victoria  	
Kelowna 	
Kimberley   ,
Ladysmith.—   	
Merritt         _
4,432
1,132,291
6,309
480,926
Nanaimo.-  	
4,075
$3,202,716 G 8
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IL—FIRES REPORTED—Continued
District Municipalities (29)
District Reporting
XT..-.U--      Amount
Number       ofLoss
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
Burnaby	
Central Saanich-
Chilliwhack	
Coldstream	
Coquitlam	
Delta	
Esquimalt	
Fraser Mills	
Glenmore	
Kent	
Kitimat	
Langley	
Maple Ridge	
Matsqui	
Mission 	
376
14
42
2
54
33
60
2
4
9
48
40
37
25
13
$125,869
6,008
105,866
4,597
19,771
55,603
13,242
524
298
10,767
76,925
56,730
67,668
23,518
18,175
North Cowichan	
North Vancouver-
Oak Bay	
Peachland 	
Pitt Meadows—	
Richmond	
Saanich 	
Salmon Arm	
Spallumcheen	
Sumas  —
Summerland	
Surrey— —
Tadanac	
West Vancouver-
Totals	
28
127
133
6
92
228
10
3
13
10
173
41
105
1,728
$45,215
147,549
21,223
20,934
1,392,221
31,716
14,068
18,515
15,170
11,717
157,203
77,329
33,412
$2,571,833
Village Municipalities (49)
Abbotsford-
Alert Bay._._
Ashcroft	
Burns Lake	
Campbell River...
Castlegar	
Chapman Camp..
Comox— -	
Cranberry Lake_
Creston	
Dawson Creek	
Fort St. James	
Fort St. John	
Fruitvale	
Gibsons Landing _
Harrison Hot Springs-
Hope  -	
Invermere.- __	
Kinnaird 	
Lake Cowichan _
Lillooet  -
Lytton	
Marysville	
Mission City	
McBride	
7
4
3
3
23
5
1
4
6
6
21
5
7
4
2
6
3
4
5
1
3
2
11
4
I
$1,571
6,706
5,895
33,055
26,451
2,112
620
357
355
3,894
93,082
3,598
798
2,239
178
737
735
42
613
7,500
130
105
1,219
133,630
New Denver	
North Kamloops..
Oliver	
Osoyoos	
Parksville 	
Pouce Coupe	
Princeton	
Qualicum Beach-
Quesnel	
Salmo	
Sidney	
Silverton	
Smithers	
Squamish..-.	
Stewart	
Telkwa 	
Terrace	
Tofino 	
Ucluelet	
Vanderhoof	
Warfield 	
Westview	
Williams Lake...
Zeballos 	
Totals
1
20
8
6
5
1
11
10
13
2
9
21
6
2
2
25
14
$65
2,163
2,496
578
193
4,848
13,912
8,005
22,189
4,888
1,389
58,007
259
6,461
10,403
1,225
1,200
36,369
2,889
$503,161
Fire Districts (20)
Cariboo, County of-
Colwood 	
District Lot 172	
loco  „
Kelowna 	
Kootenay, County of_
Langford-
Nanaimo, County of-
Ocean Falls	
Powell River	
Prince George	
Prince Rupert, County of..
161
14
11
1
5
106
22
180
25
67
I
$845,372
4,630
465
22
2,264
285,846
9,482
892,466
13,060
1,014
456,008
Sooke 	
University Area 	
Vancouver, County of ..
Vernon  _
Victoria, County of_
View Royal-
Westminster, County of .
Yale, County of	
Totals _
Grand totals..
4
20
62
59
13
35
191
984
7,094
$205
118,926
269,552
124,473
4,847
146,033
725,327
$3,899,992
$10,177,702
Construction of buildings burned-
Fire-resistive    _
Brick, concrete, or heavy timber .
Wood frame — — 	
Metal or corrugated iron
Totals
7,094
Amount of Loss
$96,744
1,342,013
8,423,223
315,722
$10,177,702 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G 9
TABLE III.—CAUSES OF FIRES
Causes of Fires
Number
of Loss
Causes of Fires
Number
Amount
of Loss
Acetylene-torch carelessness..
Alcohol-vapour explosion	
Ashes against wood	
Broken gasoline-line	
Broken oil-line 	
Bunsen burner, carelessness with_
Candle carelessness	
Car upset-
Children playing with fire	
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe-
Coal-gas explosion 	
Coal-stoker back-firing	
Collision—  	
Curtains from stove— 	
Defective acetylene equipment-
Defective brooder	
Defective chimney _
Defective fireplace-
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe..
Defective muffler 	
Defective oil-burner.. _
Defective oil-burning equipment-
Defective stove or stove-pipe	
Defective wiring _
Diesel exhaust insufficiently protected
Dust explosion	
Electrical appliances 	
Engine back-firing 	
Exposure 	
Firecrackers 	
Friction in pulley	
Friction on brake-drum 	
Friction on conveyer-belt	
Fuel-oil, carelessness in use of	
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected	
Gas explosion (liquefied petroleum).
Gas explosion (manufactured or
natural)	
Gasoline carelessness	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe.
Gasoline-pump damaged by car_.
Gasoline-torch carelessness	
Gasoline-vapour explosion —
14
1
59
7
5
1
55
12
3
92
7
2
7
1
2
6
291
42
13
1
32
42
41
33
1
4
461
42
108
19
1
6
1
3
42
5
60
16
1
10
36
$465,659
18
10,633
5,828
1,720
61
8,761
34,024
158
28,355
23,830
801
4,510
26
11,143
5,738
172,647
11,521
4,839
100
232,623
15,354
67,531
100,148
1,000
325
130,622
41,317
425,671
652
1,453
246
387
1,863
71,022
89,686
846
65,390
7,817
1,879
2,188
101,941
Grease on stove	
Hay load ignited from exhaust-
Heat radiation i	
Hot stove-lid falling on floor-
Ignition of oil	
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..
Propane-torch carelessness.. 	
Sawdust-burner back-firing 	
Sawdust-burner   insufficiently  protected. — 	
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness. 	
Sparks from acetylene torch-
Sparks from boiler-
Sparks from bonfire  	
Sparks from bush fire	
Sparks from chimney  	
Sparks from fireplace 	
Sparks from furnace or furnace-pipe
Sparks from mill burner	
Sparks from oven
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe	
Spontaneous ignition	
Stove explosion —	
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently
protected.
Tar boiling over	
Tarpaulin ignited from exhaust-pipe
Thawing pipes... 	
Tractor upset—   —
Unknown 	
Wood too near stove	
176
1
10
1
1
47
10
2
5
11
1
64
133
15
36
4
5
1
16
2
405
2,898
29
4
76
1
130
330
42
12
1
89
14
14
240
12
1
20
2
635
5
$43,665
141
249
10
2,253
68,485
9,706
5,173
3,087
7,653
27
3,612
63,696
10,994
35,267
81,262
3,938
83
28,115
1,594
799,618
538,844
388,536
10,756
63,567
150
79,328
22,763
30,288
69,452
2,972
37,912
51,165
8,386
158,686
32,659
100
17,858
1,330
5,337,780
6,209
Totals-
7,094 | $10,177,702 G 10 BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Aircraft hangars
Apartments 	
2
303
Asphalt plants .
Automobile courts
34
Automobiles
692
Unknown  	
Ashes against wood 	
Candle carelessness   	
Clothes too near stove _
Coal-stoker back-firing 	
Defective chimney  	
Defective fireplace — —
Defective furnace  	
Defective oil-burning equipment
Defective stove  	
Defective wiring  	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure
Gas explosion (manufactured or natural)
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline-vapour explosion  	
Grease on stove  	
Heat radiation — 	
Incendiary
Match carelessness 	
Matches, children with	
Oil-burner explosion 	
Paint vapours igniting	
Sawdust-burner back-firing
Short circuit -	
Smokers' carelessness	
Sparks from bonfire 	
Sparks from chimney 	
Sparks from fireplace .
Sparks from stove or stove-pipe
Stove explosion
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected .
Tar boiling over  _. 	
Unknown  	
Kerosene carelessness
Sparks from boiler .	
Unknown   	
Clothes too near stove
Electrical appliances
Gas explosion (liquefied petroleum)
Matches, children with   	
Oil-burner explosion 	
Smokers' carelessness  	
Sparks from stove   —
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 on brake-drum 	
Fuel oil, carelessness in use of
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe 	
Gasoline-vapour explosion _.	
Hay load ignited from exhaust
Heat radiation  —
Incendiary	
Match carelessness  	
Matches, children with	
Propane-torch carelessness .„
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch .
2
3
1
5
2
11
3
1
1
1
1
23
2
1
2
2
6
1
2
4
3
2
1
1
12
178
2
7
1
1
1
6
1
15
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
23
2
1
1
6
1
3
6
12
5
1
5
10
16
4
3
6
1
15
16
7
1
2
6
4
8
1
181
280
3
$846
572
359
801
19,607
400
45
634
22
42
1,178
1,230
142
1,393
95
714
9
20,065
94
874
327
158
904
11,658
58,122
130
4,579
21
48
600
491
10,630
20,010
$1,263,161
$175
145
1,346
$36
292
258
67
3,550
7,764
50
49
50
$1,648
18
133
5,128
34,024
3,060
100
95
383
6,191
501
115
246
100
4,971
7,817
4,096
141
60
11,024
209
456
83
53,742
32,881
1,568
156,800
1,666
12,116 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G 11
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
6
2
3
.     39
2
4
3
5
$419
100
62,551
Tarpaulin ignited from exhaust-pipe 	
Unknown  	
1
_     83
1
$231,860
Bakeries   	
$873
50
2,410
190
2,972
388
Electrical appliances     .
Exposure —	
1
1
1
Sparks from oven — _
Unknown  	
1
1
1
6,883
$12
100
Smokers' carelessness 	
1
2
112
Barges 	
$1,297
5,029
1
1
6,326
Barns       	
$20
1,000
850
18
1,027
4,170
192
1,225
1,585
15,517
11,646
53,914
1
1
Heat radiation   -	
1
3
4
1
Smokers' carelessness      	
Sparks from bonfire  	
2
2
5
1
17
Smokers' carelessness  	
Short circuit   	
Smokers' carelessness   _	
Sparks from furnace  	
2
2
2
91,164
130
Barracks    	
Boarding-houses  	
$65
62
127
$474
6,226
210,710
1
Unknown   _         1
217,410
550
Bowling-alleys 	
5
Electrical appliances _ _         1
Smokers' carelessness            2
Sparks from furnace _ __        1
$18
6,170
651
25
6,864
$8,978
2,629
8,611
4
17
Sparks from boiler -         1
20,218
Bridges 	
$600
10,000
400
6,000
Smokers' carelessness         1
Sparks from bonfire          1
17,000
$673
2,300
200
756
13,509
440
4,032
1
2
14
Defective oil-burning equipment   -        1
Unknown _   -
Smokers' carelessness	
Acetylene-torch carelessness   „
Unknown  	
Candle carelessness — -	
21,910
40
Buses 	
Canneries (fish)    	
$463,054
635
463,689
Churches    	
$206
879
935
160
1,074
20,778
1,030
3,893
4,378
3
2
33,333 G 12
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Clubs
Cold-storage plants
Cranes 	
Creosoting plants —
Dairies 	
Distilleries  _ 	
Dry-cleaning plants
Dwellings
13
. 4,566
•
Defective chimney
Defective stove-pipe
Exposure
Matches, children with
Smokers' carelessness _
Unknown    	
Short circuit  	
Short circuit  _
Tar boiling over 	
Electrical  appliances
Gasoline carelessness
Unknown  _	
Defective chimney
Electrical appliances -	
Gasoline-torch carelessness
Match carelessness 	
Short circuit  	
Unknown _
Acetylene-torch  carelessness     2
Ashes against wood        39
Candle carelessness      49
Children playing with fire   3
Clothes too near stove or stove-pipe    77
Coal-gas explosion   4
Curtains from stove   1
Defective brooder    1
Defective chimney       253
Defective fireplace   _   37
Defective furnace or furnace-pipe    12
Defective oil-burner   13
Defective oil-burning equipment   28
Defective stove or stove-pipe   30
Defective wiring     18
Electrical appliances -   340
Exposure    36
Firecrackers        9
Fuel oil, carelessness in use of      1
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected   27
Gas explosion (manufactured or natural)   5
Gasoline carelessness   28
Gasoline-torch carelessness      5
Gasoline-vapour explosion     9
Grease on stove      154
Heat radiation    6
Hot stove-lid falling on floor    1
Incendiary     19
Kerosene carelessness —     7
Lamp explosion    2
Lamp upset      2
Lightning   —       9
Live coals —   1
Match carelessness      48
Matches, children with     98
Molten metal      2
Oil-burner explosion    21
Paint vapours igniting   3
Sawdust-burner back-firing     15
Short circuit -     108
Smokers' carelessness  2,023
Sparks from bonfire    31
Sparks from bush fire    1
Sparks from chimney    111
Sparks from fireplace      323
Sparks from furnace   27
Sparks from mill burner  ; — 1
Sparks from stove       75
Spontaneous ignition   4
Stove explosion     13
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected   185
Tar boiling over   4
Thawing pipes    14
$987
563
310
112
3,993
472
$425
150
$217
303
58
60
3,415
6,066
$115
8,189
5,724
158
26,870
2,038
26
916
138,346
9,031
4,794
48,549
5,397
42,033
71,904
72,448
25,232
394
63
19,098
507
47,664
1,132
22,911
28,963
162
10
22,592
9,511
5,173
883
2,068
27
2,446
52,528
111
15,716
3,443
27,211
81,340
198,274
10,851
•  150
72,718
22,426
12,016
1,757
28.083
5,756
7,786
117,688
11,438
16,419
$6,437
54
18
189
575
144
10,119 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G 13
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Electrical substations	
Electric-light plants 	
Elevators (grain) 	
Engines   	
Factories (animal-food products)
Factories (brick) 	
Factories (electroplating) 	
Factories (furniture) 	
Factories (glass)
Factories (ink) ...
Factories (paint)
Factories (sausage)
Factories (soap)
Factories (wooden box)
Fences _ 	
Fire halls 	
Fishing-boats
Fog-alarm stations
Foundries  	
Freight-cars
Funeral-parlours
Gaols
Garages (private)
Unknown 	
Wood too near stove .
Short circuit 	
Engine back-firing 	
Gasoline carelessness
Unknown 	
Short circuit 	
Engine back-firing
Unknown 	
Sparks from boiler
Unknown 	
Electrical appliances
Unknown 	
Unknown 	
Unknown	
Unknown 	
Sawdust-burner insufficiently protected
Unknown  _ 	
Unknown 	
Smokers' carelessness   _-
Sparks from bonfire 	
Sparks from chimney .
Broken gasoline-line _
Engine back-firing 	
Exposure
Gasoline-torch carelessness
Gasoline-vapour explosion .
Oil-burner explosion 	
Short circuit 	
Sparks from acetylene torch
Unknown ....	
Engine back-firing 	
Defective oil-burning equipment
Exposure  	
Molten metal  	
Sparks from furnace
Unknown  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Spontaneous ignition	
Unknown   _.
Electrical appliances
Unknown 	
Incendiary  	
Acetylene-torch carelessness
Ashes against wood 	
Defective oil-burner __..
Defective stove	
Defective wiring _ 	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure
Gasoline carelessness „	
Gasob'ne-torch carelessness
Gasoline-vapour explosion ~
Incendiary
Matches, children with
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch
Sparks from bonfire 	
Sparks from chimney 	
Sparks from mill burner	
Sparks from stove
Stove insufficiently protected
Tar boiling over 	
Unknown 	
227
4
2
1
2
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
2
1
4
1
1
6
1
2
1
9
1
1
i
i
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
1
1
1
8
1
1
1
1
4
8
7
2
5
2
1
1
5
1
$567,619
4,341
$1,883,045
150
$100
1,243
23,517
$237
3,154
$15
70
$700
6,850
200
20
28,432
2,500
11,867
75
128,623
$37
1,550
50
1,293
10,695
$1,295
4,800
200
$318
12,171
$250
319
34,470
120
421
323
1,066
1,069
93
319
50
1,124
14,808
6,055
4,045
-2,723
125
742
4,800
1,313
420
40,516
24,860
690
5,000
592
1,800
2,119
3,391
18,865
9,102
1,739
1,519
6,126
8,355
85
89
179,267
17,200
13,625
6,295
12,489
10,700
115,171 G 14
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Garages (public)
Gasoline-shovels
Gasoline-stations
Graders 	
Gravel-loaders
Gravel-pits 	
Greenhouses ...
Halls
Hop-kilns
Hospitals .
26
16
Hotels 	
.._    134
House-boats
Causes
Clothes too near stove .
Coal-gas explosion 	
Defective oil-burner 	
Defective stove-pipe .—
Electrical appliances
Gas explosion (liquefied petroleum)
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline-vapour explosion	
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from acetylene torch .
Spontaneous ignition
Stove insufficiently protected
Thawing pipes 	
Unknown   _
Gasoline carelessness „
Clothes too near stove .
Defective stove  	
Electrical appliances _
Exposure
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline-pump damaged by car .
Incendiary    _
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from bonfire —
Short circuit 	
Matches, children with  	
Matches, children with  	
Sawdust-burner insufficiently protected
Short circuit   -
Sparks from furnace  	
Stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown  .	
Clothes too near stove
Defective oil-burner
Electrical appliances ...
Exposure
Furnace insufficiently protected
Grease on stove 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from fireplace  	
Tar boiling over  	
Unknown  	
Unknown      	
Defective chimney 	
Electrical appliances 	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Grease on stove _ 	
Match carelessness 	
Smokers' carelessness
Acetylene-torch carelessness
Electrical appliances
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected
Grease on stove  	
Oil-burner explosion 	
Short circuit    _
Smokers' carelessness  _ —	
Sparks from chimney  - 	
Sparks from furnace _   _	
Sparks from stove     .._
Tar boiling over  —	
Unknown     	
Wood too near stove
Smokers' carelessness   _
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown  _ 	
2
3
3
2
1
1
1
6
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
5
2
1
1
4
110
1
1
1
2
4
1
1
1
1
Amount of Loss
$140
11,238
915
190
1,641
4,700
141
11,992
3,900
11,039
150
15,000
193
1,200
103,728
$55
15,599
159
267
665
1,879
41
695
678
18
$75
681
10,500
115
335
$30
23,421
90
595
26,639
97
190
23
50
30,690
$523
314
15,350
81
25
124
$415
513
3,136
562
3,931
21,382
14,141
75
805
43
7,512
157,425
1,868
$2,665
20
1,800
$166,167
125
20,056
500
52
307
11,706
81,825
67,091
16,417
211,1
4,485 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G  15
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES*—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
13
7
9
3
3
1
10
2
6
18
1
35
4
1
1
         1
$612
2,250
6,029
9,300
7,500
400
200
26,950
Exposure    -   	
2
         1
Gasoline-vapour explosion 	
Smokers' carelessness _	
        3
         1
1
         1
Unknown 	
        3
           1
$53,241
$337
15
25
1,293
1
Thawing pipes 	
Unknown    	
         1
        4
_         1
1,670
$30,000
1,596
3,283
62,849
216
39,967
1
Gasoline carelessness 	
         1
        1
         1
        4
        2
137,911
$10,825
4,148
         1
        2
14,973
$752
172
         1
Friction in pulley —	
1
         1
924
1,453
Machinery manufacturing plants
$9,671
10,314
212
883
39,749
200
102,144
Defective acetylene equipment 	
Electrical appliances  	
          1
          1
1
        2
         1
        3
          1
163,173
$77
220
Smokers' carelessness   —	
         1
         1
297
$13,617
1,085
234
3,494
45,503
Lightning	
1
         1
1
Unknown  .
.         2
          2
63,933
$1,450
1,638
86
40
15
       13
Gasoline carelessness 	
Gasoline-vapour  explosion 	
Short circuit      ..
         1
         1
        1
        1
3,229
2,251
        2
$258
61
7
220
2,249
93
200
1,650
1,700
35
35
223,036
273
50
9,155
1
Candle carelessness   	
         1
         1
           1
Defective wiring  	
Electrical appliances 	
         2
5
         1
         1
Gasoline-torch carelessness  	
1
1
4
Smokers' carelessness  	
Thawing pipes  -	
8
         1
5
....       3
239,022
$5,000
6,688
1
              1
11,688
25
Photographic studios 	
Lamp UDset    	
            1
200 G 16
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Poultry-houses
Power-houses
Power-saws
Printing plants
Pulp-mills
Pump-houses
Radio-stations
Railway-stations
Refineries  (oil)  _
Refineries (salt)
Restaurants 	
Rinks (roller-skating)
Rooming-houses    _
35
1
139
Ashes against wood .
Defective brooder 	
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances
Incendiary
Lamp upset 	
Matches, children with
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness __
Sparks from bonfire —
Sparks from stove .
Stove or stove-pipe insufficiently protected
Unknown   	
Exposure 	
Short circuit
Unknown 	
Engine back-firing
Unknown 	
Defective chimney   —
Defective oil-burning equipment
Electrical appliances
Furnace insufficiently protected
Incendiary  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Short circuit
Unknown 	
Short circuit	
Sparks from bonfire
Unknown 	
Defective oil-burning equipment
Exposure 	
Smokers' carelessness  	
Ignition of oil 	
Exposure    	
Acetylene-torch carelessness
Defective fireplace 	
Defective stove-pipe  	
Electrical appliances 	
Exposure 	
Furnace insufficiently protected 	
Gas explosion (manufactured or natural)
Grease on stove  	
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from chimney 	
Sparks from fireplace 	
Sparks from stove 	
Stove insufficiently protected
Unknown 	
Unknown   	
Ashes against wood -
Candle carelessness —
Defective chimney 	
Defective fireplace —
Defective oil-burner .
Defective stove-pipe .
Electrical appliances
Exposure  	
Grease on stove 	
Incendiary
Match carelessness —
Short circuit   	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from bonfire ...
Sparks from chimney .
Sparks from fireplace
Sparks from stove —
2
4
1
1
1
2
2
4
1
1
1
3
12
1
2
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
3
1
1
8
1
5
1
1
1
2
6
1
1
1
9
1
1
1
7
1
2
1
3
1
91
1
2
3
2
$225
3,822
700
350
300
2,004
170
1,102
4
80
55
205
23,054
$250
75,986
129,714
$100
225
$391
296
633
170
25
10
$4,879
731
$104
11
50,340
$103
56,821
$30
2,071
8,479
10,075
7,036
50
180
5,288
655
17,910
1,210
62
111
300
44,236
$17
107
4,409
19
5,500
100
411
19
105
38
206
26
8,641
25
325
171
72
$32,071
205,950
325
1,525
5,610
50,455
56,924
200
2,253
2,042
97,693
28,901 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G 17
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
2
65
19
.    106
2
4
1
3
60
4
7
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
6
1
7
1
3
8
1
29
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
7
5
1
1
1
1
6
4
1
1
1
2
6
1
1
1
5
12
10
2
1
1
4
38
2
1
3
1
1
1
1
5
1
4
3
3
10
1
16
$141
9,517
Unknown     —    	
$29,849
$600
150
Unknown -	
750
$25
1,630
24,559
3,000
2
4,500
12,920
102,162
831
210,760
200
15,810
56,128
1,645
476,466
Gasoline carelessness  	
Overheating of machinery bearings	
Short circuit _ 	
S-arks from boiler   _  	
910,638
$64
35,117
479
1,189
15
659
113,649
1,100
60
71,258
Incendiary -    — -	
Sparks from bonfire   —
Unknown  	
223,590
Sheds    	
$626
700
118
350
280
463
329
10
150
52
105
3,117
700
1,238
337
38,389
6,687
2,613
57
4,000
899
3,796
29,752
Defective oil-burner     -	
Gasoline-vapour explosion    	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Sparks from chimney   	
Unknown    - - '  	
94,768
$7,476
57,509
Overheating of machinery bearings   	
Unknown       	
Smokers' carelessness   	
64,985
93
$829
1,834
819
3,482
$1,720
180
325
160
240
9,250
60,000
7,225
Furnace or furnace-pipe insufficiently protected
Overheating of machinery bearings        	 G 18
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
1
5
5
7
1
1
4
1
5
3
3
1
2
17
26
6
1
1
2
2
3
8
63
2
1
1
8
1
1
15
1
2
1
2
2
1
1
16
2
2
1
1
3
1
2
1
5
1
1
1
1
10
1
6
1
1
1
4
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
12
1
1
$714
894
4,675
Unknown       —	
$85,383
75
$127
883
2,560
416
1,606
75
22,501
27,742
141,926
133
150
6,196
7,803
238
3,788
9,338
22,434
150
60
20
5,325
2,320
100
600,373
1
177
-    177
35
...      30
12
..     26
Coal-gas explosion 	
Defective chimney   _ 	
Defective stove-pipe           „. _	
Electrical appliances -	
Oil-burner explosion  	
Smokers' carelessness —       — -
Sparks from chimney	
Tar boiling over _	
Thawing pipes —  	
Unknown —	
856,264
Stores and apartments     -
$2,145
1,109
34
67
7,595
36
30
7,086
159
364
100
15
53,276
Defective chimney 	
Exposure   	
Tar boiline over  	
Thawing pipes  	
72,016
Stores and dwellings	
$2,500
886
1,856
513
120
367
17
74
332
1,800
65,147
Defective oil-burning equipment  	
Defective wiring -	
Gas explosion (manufactured or natural)  	
73,612
Stores and offices _	
$40
249
30
1,010
232
120
50,386
Smokers' carelessness   	
Unknown   —    —
52,067
Stores and rooms	
$559
31,280
246
20
74
252
1,462
471
6,693
Kerosene carelessness  —. 	
Smokers' carelessness -   	 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
G  19
TABLE IV.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
1
        1
$415
55,513
Unknown  	
5
1
$96,985
600
$30
8,774
Theatres    _	
3
.     29
Smokers' carelessness  	
1
     .        2
1
8,804
$2,256
400
153
200
453
14,020
81
1,265
8,296
1,330
9,658
11
2
9
39
1
1
5
1
7,094
         1
Gasoline carelessness —	
Gasoline-vapour explosion 	
        2
1
.   .        1
         7
Smokers' carelessness  —	
1
        2
        3
2
...   _..._.   	
Unknown	
         8
         1
38,112
$1,500
116
500
72
193
375
1,750
2,833
Electrical appliances   „
         1
_   .   .        1
Oil-burner explosion  	
Smokers' carelessness    	
Snarks from bonfire  	
         1
         1
         1
         1
        4
        2
7,339
120
$142
1,000
4,593
14,610
100
201,001
         1
1
Gasoline-vapour explosion	
Short circuit   	
1
        2
         1
         3
■
Acetylene-torch carelessness    	
         1
         1
221,446
Warehouses  	
$5
19,984
494
2,632
135,664
387
84,361
600
866
986
2,271
125,000
8
3,655
2,500
295,148
,
1
Electrical appliances  	
Exposure  ,     - 	
Friction on conveyer-belt 	
         6
        4
1
         1
Incendiary    _ -
         1
         1
V
        2
Smokers' carelessness   	
          3
1
Soarks from bonfire  	
          1
2
_            1
Unknown     , 	
       12
1
674,561
975
Welding-machines   	
Welding-shops	
Woodworking plants 	
$65
2,747
1,756
3,453
         1
991
1
Electrical appliances  _ _ - _
         2
1
Unknown  	
Unknown   	
         1
         1
 7,094
8,021
1,450
Workshops     .
510,177,702 G 20
BRITISH COLUMBIA
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1 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1954
TABLE VII.—LOSS OF LIFE, 1945-54
G 21
Cause of Fire
Loss of Life
Men
Women
Children
Apartment  	
1
1
1
3
2
1
1
_ 6
  1
1
3
1
4
3
2
2
2
11
  1
1
1
  1
  1
  1
Smokers' carelessness .   —
1
1
1
1
__
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
6
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
....
-
5
1
2
3
2
1
1
7
Dwelling _ — 	
Incendiary  ~   	
....
4
Dwelling  	
Smokers' carelessness   	
4
3
1
5
Freight-car  	
Smokers' carelessness _   —	
Launch  	
Unknown    	
Unknown       	
  1
3
Yard   	
2
Totals. 1954	
29
24
27
19
28
24
29
21
21
25
13
13
6
12
13
6
5
2
7
12
30
Totals, 1953 	
19
Totals. 1952 	
17
Totals, 1951	
18
Totals. 1950 	
19
Totals, 1949	
15
Totals, 1948 —   .
24
Totals, 1947	
16
Totals, 1946 	
8
Totals, 1945 	
21
247
89
187
VICTORIA, B.C.
Printed by Don McDiarmid, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
1955
610-755-6337
*   I