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 THE FIRE MARSHAL
FOR THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
THIRTY-EIGHTH
ANNUAL REPORT
STATISTICS, 1959
Printed by Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
in right of the Province of British Columbia.
1961
l_
  To Major-General the Honourable George Randolph Pearkes,
V.C., P.C., C.B., D.S.O., M.C.,
Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia.
May it please Your Honour:
The undersigned has the honour to present the Thirty-eighth Annual Report
of the Fire Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1959.
ROBERT W. BONNER,
A ttorney-General.
Victoria, B.C., January, 1961.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAOB
Report of the Fire Marshal     5
Table I.—Fire Investigations Made by the Office of the Fire Marshal     7
Table II.—Inspections Made and Orders Issued by Local Assistants to the Fire
Marshal . j     8
Table III.—Fires Reported .  10
Construction of Buildings Burned .___ 12
Table TV.—Causes of Fires__  12
Table V.—Classification of Property Burned and Causes  14
Table VI.—Summary ___-___________ 29
Table VII.—Ten-year Comparative Statement of Fire Losses  30
Table VIII.—Loss of Life, 1950-59  31
Table IX.—Twenty-year Fire-loss Graph  32
 REPORT OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
Office of the Fire Marshal,
Vancouver, B.C., March 31st, 1960.
The Honourable Robert W. Bonner, Q.C.,
Attorney-General, Victoria, B.C.
Sir,—I beg to submit herewith the Thirty-eighth Annual Report of the Fire
Marshal for the year ended December 31st, 1959.
I regret to report an increase in the fire loss for the Province. There were
8,268 fires, with a loss of $14,859,552, which is an increase of 205 fires and
$2,157,158 over that of 1958. However, we attribute this, in part, to a more
complete reporting of fires in the unorganized districts. During the year there were
thirty-seven fires with a loss of over $50,000 each, making a total of $4,496,552,
and the greater number of these were in our unorganized districts. It is with greater
regret that I report an increase in the deaths caused by fire. Fire took eighty-six
fives during the year—forty-seven men, nine women, and thirty children. Smokers'
carelessness continues to be our leading cause of fire and was responsible for fifteen
deaths, while carelessness with inflammable liquids accounted for fifteen deaths.
We feel that fire-prevention education, together with vigorous enforcement of the
Fire Marshal Act and regulations by the Local Assistants, is still the most effective
method of reducing these losses.
As in 1958, various municipalities co-operated to the fullest extent in sending
their Local Assistants to Vancouver for courses of instruction, where more than
100 received training during the year. There is little doubt that the effect of this
type of training will show more and more as instruction continues.
There has been a marked increase in the use of radioactive materials throughout the Province, with the result that requests to this office from fire departments
for instruction in the control of this hazard have kept qualified staff instructors busy
taking specialized courses in order to keep up to date.
During the year minor amendments were made to the Oil-burner Regulations,
the Theatre Regulations, the Inflammable Liquids Regulations, the Hall Regulations, the Chimney Regulations, and the Fire-alarm Regulations.
Referring to Table I, it will be noted that 293 fire investigations have been
made by members of the staff during the year. As a result of these investigations,
there were forty-two charges laid involving thirty-five persons, with twenty-four
convictions, seven acquittals, four mentally unfit to stand trial, and two adjournments sine die. During the year there were seventeen prosecutions under the Fire
Marshal Act and regulations passed pursuant thereto, with fourteen convictions and
three dismissals. Twenty-three appeals from orders issued by Local Assistants to
the Fire Marshal were heard and decisions given. There were no petitions to the
Courts from decisions of the Fire Marshal.
Our Inspectors continue to assist Local Assistants in their inspection work.
Inspections made by Local Assistants to the Fire Marshal, as shown in Table II,
were 91,330 for the year.
Our Travelling Fire Department Instructional Unit gave instruction to sixty-
nine departments, with a total of 1,088 firemen receiving training.
During the year eighteen projectionist examinations under the Theatre Regulations were held.   It will be noted that the number of examinations are less than
 U 6 BRITISH COLUMBIA
previous years, and this we attribute to the depressed state of the theatre industry,
whereby an increasing number of theatres are being closed.
Throughout the year 439 plans for new construction and alterations to existing
buildings have been checked and approved or changes requested. These plans
included all types of public buildings, bulk-storage plants for inflammable liquids,
liquefied petroleum and natural-gas plants, hospitals, theatres, clinics, and assembly halls.
In 1958 I reported the establishment of a branch of the Institution of Fire
Engineers of Great Britain, the only professional fire engineering organization in
Canada. I am pleased to report that in 1959 there were thirty-two students registered for instruction. Examinations are held each February at the University of
British Columbia.
The Fire Marshal and staff had a busy year with meetings in fire prevention,
members attending and giving assistance to the following: The Greater Vancouver
Fire Protection Association, committees of the National Research Council, the
British Columbia Safety Council, the Fire Advisory Council, the Emergency Measures Organization (Ottawa), fire defences of the metropolitan area of Vancouver,
and many others. We have tested fire apparatus for various municipalities on
request, assisted in the enactment of local fire-prevention by-laws, and provided
engineering advice covering the entire field of fire protection. Information regarding the strength of the fire defences of the Province, required by the Army in its
responsibility toward national survival, has been provided, and we continue to
maintain liaison with many public and private organizations in the work of fire
prevention.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the various fire
and police departments, the British Columbia Research Council, the National Harbours Board, the civil defence organizations, and my own staff for their excellent
help and co-operation during the year. Also, may I include the members of the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the Province, Local Assistants to the Fire
Marshal, and insurance companies and their adjusters for their co-operation.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
BASIL NIXON,
Fire Marshal.
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1959
U 7
TABLE I.—FIRE INVESTIGATIONS MADE BY THE OFFICE
OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
Origin of fires—
Unknown _
Number of Fires Investigated
Accidental or negligent
Incendiary 	
Total
Number of Charges Laid
Arson 	
Setting fire to other substances
Mischief 	
Other fire crimes	
Totals 	
Grand total, 42.
Number of Persons Charged
Convicted 	
Acquitted 	
Stay of proceedings	
Mentally unfit to stand trial
Totals 	
Adults
. 17
. 4
- 2
_    1
. 24
Adults
-    8
_.    7
'. ~4
. 19
77
119
97
293
Juveniles
8
4
6
18
Juveniles
13
16
Grand total, 35.
 U 8
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IL—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY
LOCAL ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHALS
City Municipalities (32)
Inspections
Orders
Inspections
Orders
-   "~66
197
40
636
808
48
4
59
377
1,116
535
36
1,228
821
~~6
_5
8
~2
2
—8
2
~64
5,576
2,298
172
14
875
~132
1,846
38,313
256
11,248
89
116
10
2
Trail
2
37
Vernon.        ..       -    .
White PrHf
9
Totals..
66,790
273
District Municipalities (30)
Burnaby	
Central Saanich-
Chilliwhack	
Coldstream	
Coquitlam 	
Delta	
Esquimalt—
Fraser Mills.-
Glenmore..
Kent !
Kitimat—:
Langley..
Maple Ridge..
Matsqui	
Mission—	
North Cowichan-.
7,001
78
482
629
217
2,941
114
16
North Vancouver-
Oak Bay	
Peachland	
Pitt Meadows-.
Powell River	
Richmond	
Saanich	
Salmon Arm....
Spallumcheen-
Sumas	
Summerland	
Surrey..
Tadanac.	
West Vancouver-
Totals-
17,342
4
11
6
1
84
141
Town Municipalities (3)
Fort St. John-
Mission City_
Quesnel	
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 9
TABLE IL—INSPECTIONS MADE AND ORDERS ISSUED BY
LOCAL ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHALS—Continued
Village Municipalities (58)
Inspections
Orders
Inspections
Orders
627
12
65
36
65
7
48
~5
~~33
"Iii
"ii
2
_
64
15
55
10
466
14
9
20
23
50
2
Alert Bay   .                    -          „„
Oliver     ___.     _     —	
Castlegar   _ . __
Parksville -	
—
2
Sechelt
Kaslo 	
Keremeos. _ 	
Taylor
Telkwa   	
~20
Tofino	
4
Warfield           . ..
2
Totals.   .
1,994
71
Fire Districts (19)
75
~T6
48
39
1,583
5
~2
22
3,056
253
68
3
restrict T nt 17?
Vancouver, County of..    	
Westminster, County of. ~ ..
Yale, County of.  _
Totals	
Ocean Falls.  .
3
5,204
13
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
totals,
1959
1958
1957
1956
1955
1954
1953
1952
1951
1950
Inspections
 91,330
  91,959
  86,684
_ 80,145
  78,523
  78,284
 78,885
  80,573
 82,321
  82,526
Orders
498
647
975
875
825
801
562
345
644
1,206
 U 10
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE III.—FIRES REPORTED
City Municipalities (32)
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
Alberni	
Armstrong	
Chilliwack	
Courtenay	
Cranbrook	
Dawson Creek-
Duncan	
Enderby	
Fernie _	
Grand Forks..
Greenwood	
Kamloops	
Kelowna	
Kimberley	
Langley	
Nanaimo	
Nelson	
28
9
29
25
28
49
26
7
4
6
1
39
79
24
15
82
39
$9,351
2,100
17,989
21,160
197,570
37,328
4,992
1,657
204,309
13,965
50
100,942
50,493
12,256
26,299
32,118
239,535
New Westminster-
North Vancouver—
Penticton	
Port Alberni	
Port Coquitlam	
Port Moody	
Prince George	
Prince Rupert	
Revelstoke	
Rossland	
Trail	
Vancouver	
Vernon	
Victoria	
White Rock-
Totals-
205
137
71
79
27
15
69
61
18
17
45
2,309
54
470
30
4,097
$124,248
82,976
22,274
130,358
31,356
48,401
205,405
116,543
44,992
14,569
9,486
3,350,528
45,589
159,151
3,362
$5,361,352
District Municipalities (30)
Burnaby	
Central Saanich..
Chilliwhack	
Coldstream	
Coquitlam	
Delta	
Esquimalt	
Fraser MillS-
Glenmore..
Kent	
Kitimat	
Langley	
Maple Ridge..
Matsqui	
Mission	
North Cowichan-
456
14
74
3
98
49
74
~~i
6
42
43
45
33
24
30
$191,939
11,617
412,108
6,320
61,689
35,199
82,063
1464
17,493
79,851
88,395
74,321
44,526
69,014
47,736
North Vancouver-
Oak Bay	
Peachland	
Pitt Meadows	
Powell River	
Richmond	
Saanich .	
Salmon Arm	
Spallumcheen-
Sumas	
Summerland-
Surrey	
Tadanac	
West Vancouver-
Totals	
189
$92,422
139
34,461
3
162,858
3
1,174
58
22,506
178
561,447
334
135,444
13
94,639
8
53,232
11
10,692
11
4,337
331
468,631
33
60,906
177
99,959
2,487
$3,026,143
Town Municipalities (3)
Fort St. John-
Mission City_
Quesnel _
Total..
$49,767
41,482
96,139
$187,388
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
TABLE III.—FIRES REPORTED—Continued
Village Municipalities (58)
U 11
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
District Reporting
Number
Amount
of Loss
6
To
27
6
2
11
9
7
4
2
11
5
3
Ti
2
1
2
4
17
7
9
7
1
2
7
7
$495
2
5
14
9
5
4
2
8
8
4
9
5
8
2
6
2
1
4
2
28
1
5
12
4
18
$61
Alert Bay                  	
New Denver            ....
49,636
51,599
201,106
12,550
1,104
571
8,667
15,020
1,885
13,661
1,899
28,678
3,795
3,323
Oliver                                ..
6,255
769
Parksville...   .	
17,656
14,775
4,088
807
Salmo.  	
5,086
3,873
Sechelt          	
1,989
Sidney 	
2,946
Harrison Hot Springs	
Slocan      .    _
Smithers              -
412
12,388
13,250
50
4,180
196
350
25,157
323
1,350
11,287
2,246
29,919
6,594
50
650
2,849
33,672
TpTkw-
2,849
Terrace        .   .
Torino
198,208
151
4,838
49,317
Warfield	
22,121
171,139
Marysville
Totals	
350
$1,045,840
Fire Districts (19)
Cariboo, County of-
Colwood 	
District Lot 172-
Ioco	
Kelowna	
Kootenay, County of_
Langford..
Nanaimo, County of..
Ocean Falls	
Prince George._
Prince Rupert, County of~
309
15
4
24
138
31
237
9
66
$1,785,002
6,813
1,253
78,558
707,471
13,968
657,605
18,506
213,009
Sooke_
University Area-
Vancouver, County of._
Vernon	
Victoria, County of..
View Royal-
Westminster, County of-
Yale, County of. .—
Totals-
Grand totals-
2
17
79
86
18
47
207
1,289
8,268
$135
5,436
417,436
290,994
2,907
505,679
534,057
$5,238,829
$14,859,552
 U 12
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE III.—FIRES REPORTED—Continued
Construction of Buildings Burned
Fire-resistive—
City municipalities 	
District municipalities 	
Town municipalities  	
Village municipalities  _
Fire districts 	
Brick, concrete, or heavy timber—
City municipalities    	
District municipalities _ 	
Town municipalities 	
Village municipalities ___._	
Fire districts — 	
Wood frame—
City municipalities   	
District municipalities  _.
Town municipalities 	
Village municipalities  .	
Fire districts   	
Metal or corrugated iron—■
City municipalities 	
District municipalities   	
Town municipalities  	
Village municipalities 	
Fire districts    ,.	
Number
Amount of Loss
15
16
$31,182
4,585
Totals
5,889
265
1,248,440
51
551,334
1
800
8
7,964
10
85,662
,212
3,856,296
,076
2,286,349
37
184,593
299
962,651
960
4,562,783
605
225,434
344
183,875
7
1,995
43
75,225
316
584,495
268
$14,859,552
TABLE IV.—CAUSES OF FIRES
Causes of Fires
Total
Number
Aeroplane crash    —  	
Boilers or boiler-pipes defective or overheated-
Candles and open flames—  	
Children playing with fire  _.
Chimneys—
Defective or overheated 	
Sparks from    	
Collision .	
Defective battery connection-
Defective brooder	
Defective muffler	
Defective oven  _
Defective wiring	
Dust explosion
Electrical appliances and equipment (improper use of appliance or defective
equipment)
Electrical wiring overloaded..
Electro-welding equipment, sparks from..
Engine back-firing  	
Exposure    	
Fireplaces—
Defective  —	
Sparks from	
Fireworks-
Friction—
In brake-drum.—
In conveyer-belt..
In machinery	
In pulley	
In tires	
Furnaces or fumace-pipes—
Combustible materials too near-
Defective   —	
180
80
24
256
2
9
1
14
Insufficiently protected-
Sparks from	
Upset    —
22
15
43
13
1
1
4
51
15
260
11
6
8
4
2
81
6
452
6
2
100
178
280
60
34
94
Amount of
Loss
$213,757
61,865
$8,562
36,337
$4,357
52,065
25,696
10,229
16,479
$22,853
88,255
62,325
27,079
11,000
$500
1,522
27,971
3,665
275,622
10,782
2,049
4,760
704
248
123,184
24,107
266,107
9,506
4,801
87,465
643,444
44,899
25,089
108,826
211,512
J
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1959
TABLE IV.—CAUSES OF FIRES—Continued
U 13
Causes of Fires
Gas, liquefied petroleum—
Explosion..
Improper installation of appliance	
Improper use of or defective equipment-
Gas, natural-
Explosion..
Improper installation of appliance.. —
Improper use of or defective equipment-
Gasoline—
Broken line-
Carelessness with-
On exhaust-pipe..
Pump damaged by motor-vehicle..
Stoves, lamps, torches	
Used in cleaning 	
Used to kindle fire. 	
Vapour explosion	
Heat radiation  	
Hot ashes, coals, etc 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of...
Incendiary-
Inflammable vapours, ignition of..
Kerosene—
Carelessness with	
Stoves, lamps, torches..
Used to kindle fire	
Lightning
Matches—
Carelessness with	
Matches, children with..
Molten metal 	
Motor-vehicle upset-
Oil-burners^—
Defective	
Defective equipment-
Explosion	
Sparks from	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment-
Carelessness with. 	
Defective   	
Sparks from.
Short circuit-
Smokers' carelessness-
Inbed	
In the home  _
In public premises—
In unlisted locations..
While intoxicated	
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from bush fire..
Sparks from engine-
Sparks from grinder	
Sparks from mill burner-
Spontaneous ignition..
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected—
Stoves or stove-pipes—■
Combustible materials too near-
Defective	
Explosion..
Insufficiently protected..
Sparks from	
Sulphur, ignition of..
Thawing pipes	
Unknown	
Total
Number
Amount of
12
2
17
11
4
7
Totals..
31
22
38
82
24
3
19
3
2
58
65
212
80
24
62
4
16
1
45
229
11
40
343
97
34
12
10
277
14
19
170
62
571
271
2,107
643
4
3,033
88
6
5
3
27
25
1
156
21
10
139
41
367
1
22
1,093
8,268
$13,087
16,190
56,616
$15,248
528
10,466
$41,877
138,756
16,324
1,070
63,756
2,502
5,150
126,789
$8,464
9,678
413
$30,410
118,060
$101,557
46,829
64,840
2,265
$14,436
106
440,770
$49,979
264,032
3,315
484,302
5,266
$73,678
39,199
21,587
326,659
34,264
$85,893
26,242
396,224
1,373
11,372
163,130
653,347
39,553
18,555
12,067
148,470
22,492
44,610
215,491
455,312
851,009
806,894
403,736
567
2,841
6,190
657,241
66,124
150
495,387
2,114
224,678
7,171,727
$14,859,552
 U 14 BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED AND CAUSES
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Aircraft	
Apartments .
1
318
Asphalt plants and tanks       6
Bakeries .
Banks
Barber-shops .
Barges and scows .
Aeroplane crash  	
Candles and open flames ....
Children playing with fire ..
Chimneys—
Defective or overheated .
Sparks from .
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances	
Electrical wiring overloaded .
Exposure 	
Fireplaces—
Defective 	
Sparks from 	
Furnaces or furnace-pipes—
Combustible materials too near  	
Defective  	
Insufficiently protected	
Sparks from   	
Gas,  liquefied  petroleum,  improper use  of  or
defective equipment .
Gas, natural, explosion
Gasoline—
Carelessness with 	
Stoves, lamps, torches 	
Hot ashes, coals, etc. 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of.
Incendiary
Inflammable vapours, ignition of .
Matches—
Carelessness with	
Children with — —
Molten metal 	
Oil-burner explosion
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness1—
In bed —	
In the home —
In unlisted locations	
Sparks from bonfire	
Spontaneous ignition 	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible materials too near .
Insufficiently protected  	
Sparks from 	
Thawing pipes   	
Unknown   	
Oil-burners—
Defective equipment .
Explosion .
Smokers' carelessness	
Unknown 	
Electrical appliances	
Inflammable vapours, ignition of.
Smokers' carelessness 	
Unknown   	
Smokers' carelessness .
Unknown    	
1
1
1
3
1
21
7
1
4
4
2
1
12
27
108
29
1
Boiler overheated  	
Electrical appliances  —	
Inflammable vapours, ignition of	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment, carelessness with  -	
Spontaneous ignition 	
Unknown   - 	
Chimneys, defective or overheated.
Defective oven	
Exposure 	
Fireworks — 	
Smokers' carelessness	
$466
202
2,233
3,694
351
626
9,174
17,544
968
77
204
16,000
144
515
7,500
10
175
4,992
134
13,925
1,531
34
308
2,652
377
64
4,609
8,179
13,830
20,197
259
150
2,343
223
154
829
34,487
$987
1,134
250
50
873
8,550
$1,516
248
33
69
26
$356
1,045
56
120
$16
10
59
34
$17,697
149,842
$500
169,160
11,844
1,892
1,577
119
167,539
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 15
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Barns and stables      50
Barracks 	
Bath-houses .
Boarding-houses .
Boat-building works .
Boat-houses .
Bottling-works .
Buildings under construction
Bunk-houses .
20
Canneries (fruit)
Chemical plants _
Churches and church properties 	
17
Club-houses    (golf,    yacht,
etc.) 	
Causes
Electrical appliances _
Fireworks  _____
Hot grease, ignition of _
Incendiary .
Matches, children with .
Short circuit  	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from bonfire ....
Spontaneous ignition __
Thawing pipes 	
Unknown   	
Unknown   	
Matches, children with
Stove, sparks from	
Smokers' carelessness—
In bed  	
In unlisted location
Exposure  _...._	
Gasoline carelessness
Spontaneous ignition _
Unknown  	
Incendiary  	
Smoking in bed	
Unknown _	
Exposure  	
Sparks from bonfire .
Inflammable vapours, ignition of.
Matches, children with	
Smokers' carelessness .
Stoves or stove-pipes insufficiently protected.
Unknown  .  	
Chimney, defective ....
Exposure 	
Gasoline carelessness
Matches, children with .
Oil-burners—
Defective —...
Explosion .
Smokers' carelessness 	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible materials too near.
Insufficiently protected	
Unknown   —	
Sparks from bush fire .
Electrical appliances —
Sulphur, ignition of —
Candles and open flames	
Chimneys, defective or overheated :
Exposure
Furnaces or furnace-pipes insufficiently protected
Incendiary   	
Matches—
Carelessness with   	
Children with 	
Oil-burner explosion  — _ _	
Smokers' carelessness	
Unknown    	
Inflammable vapours, ignition of _
Smokers' carelessness _ _
Unknown   	
Amount of Loss
$2,588
550
82
15,800
1,911
78
249
397
7,070
8,093
118,375
$128
889
$82
18
$1,075
20,300
21,355
166,066
$450
300
430
$21,392
260
$327
2,401
14,737
1,400
3,000
$8,270
10,900
740
200
714
10,900
3,000
7,550
3,032
17,887
$3,980
2,114
$10
28,425
830
3,709
50
38
106
477
38
9,742
$422
38
81
$155,193
5,500
1,017
100
208,796
1,180
21,652
21,865
63,193
146
6,094
43,425
541
 U 16
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES-Con.mi.ee.
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Clubs .
17
Coal and lumber yards _
Cold-storage plants.
Compressors	
Cook-houses 	
Cranes .
Dairies .
Dehydrating plants _
Dry-cleaning plants .
Dwellings
-5,012
Matches, carelessness with 	
Oil-burners, defective equipment.
Short circuit       _
Smokers' carelessness 	
Unknown  	
10
Fireworks   	
Gasoline, carelessness with
Hot oil, ignition of 	
Incendiary
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from mill burner .
Hot grease, ignition of	
Short circuit 	
Kerosene, carelessness with .
Short circuit   _
Chimney defective 	
Gasoline, carelessness with	
Oil-burners, defective equipment
Unknown   	
Gasoline, broken line .
Short circuit	
Chimney, sparks from
Thawing pipes	
Unknown   	
Electrical  appliances ..
Electrical appliances .	
Match carelessness 	
Oil-burners—
Defective	
Defective equipment .
Explosion
Smokers' carelessness .
Unknown   _	
Candles and open flames  45
Children playing with fire    13
Chimneys—
Defective or overheated     152
Sparks from     57
Defective wiring —   27
Dust explosion       1
Electrical appliances    343
Electrical wiring overloaded ~      2
Engine back-firing   1
Exposure    _    54
Fireplaces—
Defective    20
Sparks from    251
Fireworks   30
Furnaces or furnace-pipes—
Combustible materials too near  19
Defective __.   _.  12
Insufficiently protected    31
Sparks from     6
Upset     _  1
Gas, liquefied petroleum—
Explosion   —  6
Improper installation of appliance   2
Improper use of or defective equipment  7
Gas, natural—
Explosion     _    7
Improper installation of appliance   3
Improper use of or defective equipment  5
$20
803
1,880
255
4,414
$451
1,500
117
400
30
48,621
$164
200
$39
182
$1,664
300
21,120
47,909
$30
4,884
$16
10
5,451
$673
580
535
791
592
50
5,868
$27,395
3,388
161,587
32,381
91,022
4,973
126,150
74
38
70,816
7,349
36,204
11,666
22,261
45,013
41,008
25,496
11,000
6,286
16,190
36,855
13,923
403
9,426
$7,372
51,119
364
221
70,993
4,914
5,477
1,500
9,089
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 17
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
2
2
9
6
1
7
Gasoline—
      28
$35,918
28,474
1,806
5,150
4,870
909
9,326
78,676
48,889
13,233
8,350
9,472
413
2,384
24,463
88,047
263
51,282
10,372
40,535
2,241
350
20
128,293
35,245
239,882
31
101,445
2,144
30,890
155
15,680
23,209
51,897
38,876
7,898
170,362
27,375
11,792
1,114,100
Stoves, lamps, torches .     	
Used in cleaning   	
11
2
       2
Vapour explosion      	
Heat radiation     _ 	
Hot ashes, coals, etc. 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of	
8
3
26
278
21
      15
Kerosene—
        1
Stoves, lamps, torches   .
7
        1
9
Matches—
      48
Children with   	
Molten metal	
Oil-burners—
    143
3
      56
      12
Explosion  . ..
42
        3
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment—
1
Sparks from	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness—
1
181
169
1,962
1
77
In the home ...  	
In public premises	
2
41
2
1
8
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible materials too near	
Defective    	
Explosion   	
131
18
8
       96
Sparks from 	
31
       15
Unknown  _ 	
    453
Electrical appliances 	
Unknown   —  .. . 	
Short circuit 	
1
1
2
$3,265,621
226
1,676
Electrical manufacturing
plants 	
$94
132
Electrical substations .    .   ..
$1,908
133
77
60,000
70
175
8,317
Electric-light plants . ...   .
Engine back-firing  _
1
Gasoline, broken line	
1
Inflammable vapours, ignition of . .
         1
Short circuit	
1
1
Sparks from engine	
Unknown  	
1
3
Electrical wiring overloaded ...
1
1
70,680
Electric-light and telephone
poles
$100
3,000
700
175
Short circuit  	
2
Sparks from bonfire 	
2
Friction in conveyer-belt	
1
1
3,975
2,065
Elevators (grain) 	
Engines    _ j   .   .
150
618
240
Gasoline—
Broken line  	
1
2
 U 18
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.-
-CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
1
1
1
1
7
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
4
2
1
7
3
1
36
1
9
..:....       1
$26
162
121
        1
Unknown	
Stove insufficiently protected 	
       1
.1       1
       1
$1,317
70
200
Factories (bed spring) 	
$21,384
6,895
57,064
665
169,461
Factories (candy) 	
Factories (cotton processing)
Factories (furniture)	
Gas, natural, explosion    	
.       1
:     ..         1
422
22,420
Exposure      	
1
.      ..       1
         1
—   .          2
Unknown     	
Inflammable vapours, ignition of	
i-              2
1
        1
255,469
738
1,940
Factories (paint) .	
Factories (paper box)	
Factories (paper products) _
Factories (rock-wool insulation)
Factories (roofing material)
$79
82
25
42,615
         1
1,366
_l         1
350
Hot tar, ignition of  —	
—    ..      1
..     ...       1
20
102
Factories (sash and door) —
        1
         1
          1
Unknown    	
Friction in machinery 	
        1
        1
1
42,801
Factories   (veneer  and plywood)
$300
551
968
        2
Smokers' carelessness     .
Unknown     _ 	
.        1
1
         1
1,819
37,807
5,499
Factories (wooden box)	
$2,160
35,647
Factories (wood products) _
Fences                             	
$30
23
50
25
180
Fireworks   	
1
2
Smokers' carelessness „.  	
        1
           1
Unknown
       2
        1
308
$296
50
155,936
        1
Unknown   — ..
Smokers' carelessness	
Defective battery connection	
1
          1
        1
156,282
15
Fire and police stations	
$1,900
20
11,815
2,660
1,150
3,427
28,158
4,060
2,750
770
150
410
19,145
50,196
Electrical appliances  	
        1
2
Gasoline—
          1
    .         1
On exhaust-pipe	
Vapour explosion ..  _    .
        1
  -     10
         1
         3
_ .     ..      2
Smokers' carelessness 	
        1
.   _        1
Stoves insufficiently protected   ...
Unknown   	
Unknown
Chimneys—
Defective
       2
       9
1
1
2
126,611
449,180
Flour and rice mills
Foundries
$200
7,960
743
540
187
6,053
        3
         1
            1
Unknown   	
1
15,683
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 19
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Fruit-packing plants .
Funeral chapels .
Gaols	
Garages (private)
Garages (public)
37
Gasoline service-stations .
27
Electrical appliances .
Incendiary  	
Smokers' carelessness .
Unknown   	
Children playing with fire _	
Defective wiring   __
Electrical appliances  	
Exposure     	
Fireworks 	
Gasoline—
Carelessness with   _
Pump damaged by motor-vehicle _
Incendiary
Inflammable vapours, ignition of _
Matches—
Carelessness with 	
Children with	
Oxy-gas  welding or  cutting  equipment,   sparks
from _   	
Short circuit    _. 	
Smokers' carelessness   	
Sparks from bonfire	
Sparks from grinder 	
Spontaneous ignition   _ - jj	
Stoves insufficiently protected  	
Thawing pipes    	
Unkno wn   _ 	
Chimney, defective ...
Electrical appliances .
Exposure
Furnace insufficiently protected .
Gasoline—
Carelessness with 	
Vapour explosion 	
Incendiary
Inflammable vapours, ignition of.
Oil-burner, defective
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment—■
Carelessness with 	
D efectiv e   	
Sparks from	
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness—
In public premises _..
In unlisted location
Spontaneous ignition __.
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Defective	
Explosion	
Unknown 	
Chimney, defective ...
Collision    	
Electrical appliances
Friction in pulley .
Gas, natural, explosion
Gasoline—
Broken line __  	
Carelessness with	
Pump damaged by motor-vehicle _
Used in cleaning  _ __
Vapour explosion
Inflammable vapours, ignition of :	
Oxy-gas  welding  or  cutting  equipment,   sparks
from  _ 	
Short circuit     	
Smokers' carelessness __	
Stove insufficiently protected .
Unknown  	
$130
27,611
1
1
1
$75
1
65
3
1,046
11
9,952
1
2,050
1
76
1
200
3
4,851
1
10
1
400
8
1,686
1
11,149
2
1,400
4
1,506
7
2,232
1
725
1
1,802
3
23,290
1
3
29
28,412
1
$6,442
4
11,275
3
42,299
1
100
2
23,951
2
35,836
1
81
3
526
1
38
3
3,402
1
106
3
51,010
3
51,456
1
130
1
7,992
1
2,957
1
25
1
9,689
4
36,837
1
$87
1
430
2
494
1
10,229
1
800
1
13,558
4
4,090
2
870
1
696
1
285
1
1,100
1
214
5
23,043
1
3,570
1
176
3
7,264
$27,741
15
136
90,930
284,152
66,906
 U 20
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Grandstands _ 	
Gravel pits and plants.
Greenhouses	
Halls.
15
Hay-stacks and balers .
Hospitals,   nursing   homes,
and institutions       17
Hotels .
125
Kennels ...
Launches .
Smokers' carelessness .
Short circuit	
Electrical appliances 	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Incendiary  	
Oil-burners—
Defective  	
Explosion .
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Defective  	
Explosion .
Insufficiently protected
Unknown  	
Electrical appliances 	
Fireplaces, sparks from	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Incendiary .   	
Oil-burners, defective 	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness .
Sparks from bonfire
Unknown 	
Engine back-firing 	
Matches, children with ...
Sparks from mill burner _
Electrical appliances 	
Smokers' carelessness—
In bed 	
In unlisted locations
Sparks from bonfire .
Stoves, combustible materials too near .
Unknown  	
Chimney, sparks from
Defective wiring  ..
Electrical appliances ....
Exposure
Fireplace, sparks from   	
Furnace insufficiently protected  	
Gasoline vapour explosion 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of	
Incendiary    	
Matches—
Carelessness with	
Children with   _	
Oxy-gas  welding  or  cutting  equipment,
from     —	
Short circuit   	
sparks
Smokers' carelessness—
In bed  _	
In public premises ....
In unlisted locations
Stove insufficiently protected —
Unknown  	
Unknown   -	
Electro-welding equipment, sparks from .
Engine back-firing 	
Friction in machinery    	
Gasoline—
Broken line   	
Carelessness with	
Stove  '.	
Vapour explosion	
Hot grease, ignition of —
Incendiary   	
Short circuit    	
Unknown 	
4
6
1
2
2
1
1
3
4
1
1
1
4
2
1
2
1
4
40
4
35
1
19
1
1
2
1
2
4
1
6
1
1
1
5
$709
64
400
48
75
225
4,000
52
644
$1,890
34
13,740
800
196
11,384
9,545
306
12,456
$291
80
500
$91
302
446
25
68
143
$141
4,919
1,086
60,861
4
1,238
80
4,273
113
12
1,350
25
2,999
2,895
218
4,110
203
118,889
$4,000
750
7,988
3,517
9,005
300
22,696
93
500
14
1,866
$275
765
6,217
50,351
871
1,075
203,416
3,800
50,729
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 21
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Laundries
Logging camps .
Machine-shops
Meat-packing plants
Medical clinics	
Motor courts
Motor-vehicles (*1,229)—
Automobiles, passenger _
13
12
61
899
O.xy-gas  welding  or  cutting  equipment,  sparks
from     	
Unknown    	
Engine back-firing .
Gas, liquefied petroleum, improper use of or defective equipment __ 	
Inflammable vapours, ignition of __	
Oil-burner, defective     	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment, sparks
from     	
Short circuit    	
Sparks from mill burner  _	
Stove insufficiently protected 	
Unknown   _ 	
Exposure	
Furnace insufficiently protected
Hot grease, ignition of	
Oil-burner, defective  _	
Short circuit   	
Stove, sparks from 	
Unknown _ _ -	
Electrical appliances _ 	
Unknown   ——
Electrical appliances ._ - 	
Oil-burner, defective 	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Electrical appliances  	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, improper use of or defective equipment	
Gas, natural, improper use of or defective equipment  	
Gasoline, carelessness with 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of	
Oil-burners, defective	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness—
In bed   	
In the home 	
In unlisted locations	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near
Insufficiently protected  	
Sparks from   	
Unknown   	
Collision  	
Defective battery connection
Defective muffler	
Defective wiring
Electrical appliances 	
Electrical wiring overloaded	
Electro-welding equipment, sparks from
Engine back-firing 	
Exposure   	
Fireworks 	
Friction—
In brake-drum 	
In tires 	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, explosion
Gasoline—
Broken line	
Carelessness with	
On exhaust-pipe	
Vapour explosion  	
Heat radiation 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of .
$917
4
$4,653
3,122
19,415
6,574
380
4,250
651
1,500
123,781
$14,055
244
2,761
1,134
1,141
120
27,551
$3,720
59,500
$230
60
91
$244
585
900
1,928
142
12,505
1,671
1,370
280
4,257
60
20
564
13,013
$3,025
149
145
4,123
4,694
96
801
21,921
6,200
280
1,037
4,049
1,900
4,380
5,074
3,765
3,974
166
656
$921
164,326
47,006
63,220
381
37,539
 U 22
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Motor-vehicles—Continued
Buses	
Motor-cycles
Tractors (bulldozers, graders, etc.)	
15
92
Trailers and semi-trailers-    17
Incendiary 	
Matches—
Carelessness with
Children with	
Motor-vehicle upset	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment-
Carelessness with	
Sparks from	
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness	
Sparks from bonfire 	
Sparks from bush fire	
Unknown _. 	
Engine back-firing  _.
Friction in brake-drum	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe
Hot oil, ignition of 	
Matches, children with 	
Short circuit	
Engine back-firing _
Gasoline—
Broken line 	
Carelessness with
Motor-vehicle upset .
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness
Unknown 	
Candles and open flames .
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances 	
Engine back-firing	
Exposure
Friction in tires	
Gasoline—
Broken line	
Carelessness with .
On exhaust-pipe
Vapour explosion	
Motor-vehicle upset	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment-
Carelessness with	
Sparks from .	
Short circuit	
Sparks from bonfire  __
Sparks from mill burner .
Unknown 	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of
Matches, children with
14
Friction in tires	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, improper use of or defective equipment	
Gasoline on exhaust-pipe
Oxy-gas welding  or cutting equipment,  sparks
from 	
Short circuit	
Smokers' carelessness .	
Unknown	
$6,220
4
444
1
80
7
15,401
4
1,194
1
35
212
48,802
303
35,057
4
1,786
1
30
137
57,935
$233,419
1
$250
1
320
1
40
1
250
1
40
1
82
$982
7
$950
2
100
1
76
1
200
2
147
1
100
1
200
$1,773
1
$100
1
2,000
1
822
8
11,388
1
162
3
1,180
4
2,481
13
6,218
3
2,762
8
8,595
2
6,820
2
1,784
7
13,281
20
43,728
3
3,339
1
7,500
14
32,949
$145,109
2
$1,750
1
5,054
1
2,138
3
12,735
1
236
1
8,000
3
9,946
1
3,250
4
18,307
$61,416
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL, 1959
U 23
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Motor-vehicles—Continued
Trucks
200
2
48
1
8
1
2
2
25
Collision
Defective muffler
Defective wiring     .
Electrical appliances
Electrical wiring overloaded     .           	
2
2
7
2
1
13
9
1
1
4
1
10
7
7
7
6
1
1
1
1
1
9
2
4
43
15
3
1
38
3
6
9
2
2
10
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
7
1
1
2
$5,827
559
452
520
62
15,340
21,289
100
3,000
7,400
1,200
14,400
11,293
4,192
7,239
431
150
500
30
85
50
22,189
131
7,656
15,170
3,737
227
197
58,767
Fireworks  -          _  .....	
Friction—
Gas, liquefied petroleum, explosion
Gasoline—
Broken linpj
On exhaust-pipe
Vapour explosion
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment—
Carelessness with
Sparks from
Smokers' carplessnftss
Stove, combustible material too near            . ...
Unknown   	
Oil-burner, defective
Unknown
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances _.    .
Exposure                                                               ,,   ,
$202,193
•$644,892
$3,450
300
3,750
Offices
$65
68
9,736
2,771
50
228
25
110
1,669
54,504
5,550
483
447
81,200
Gas, liquefied petroleum, explosion
Tnren-iary
Inflammable vapours, ignition of
Oil-burners, explosion
Short circuit
Smokers' carelessness          .  .. .
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near .   .            	
Unknown
Unknown
Electrical appliances    .      .. _  _.	
Friction  in  machinery
Oxy-gas  welding or cutting  equipment,  sparks
from
Short circuit
156,906
184,741
Oil-wells
$3,500
6,953
6,503
1,311
150
1,418
Paper and pulp mills	
Steam-pipe insufficiently protected !	
Unknown
Dust explosion
19,835
18,268
Peat plant-
$4,983
11,000
Piggeries
18,969
Electrical appliances
Unknown
15,983
Pnultry-hmiecs
$4,340
52
12,483
1,260
Defcctivp wiri-o-
Matches, children with
 U 24
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Power-houses
Power-saws
Power-shovels
Pumps and pump-houses
Radio stations 	
Railroad rolling-stock
Railroad stations
Refineries (gasoline or oil).
Refineries (salt)
Restaurants	
Rinks (curling)	
Rinks (ice-skating)
Rooming-houses	
62
Sparks from bonfire 	
Spontaneous ignition  	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near
Insufficiently protected 	
Sparks from  	
Unknown    	
Electrical appliances
Engine back-firing .
Gasoline, carelessness with
Short circuit _ 	
Sparks from mill burner
Unknown 	
Engine back-firing
Short circuit _	
Gasoline, carelessness with
Oil-burner, defective 	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, explosion .
Gasoline vapour explosion
Oxy-gas  welding  or  cutting   equipment,  sparks
from    L	
Short circuit  	
Sparks from engine	
Thawing pipes  . _	
Unknown  '.	
Matches, children with
Collision 	
Exposure
Friction in machinery	
Stove insufficiently protected
Unknown   	
Chimney, defective
Unknown 	
Exposure   	
Oil-burners—■
Defective	
Defective equipment .
Spontaneous ignition ...
Exposure 	
Chimney, sparks from
Electrical appliances —
Exposure
Gas, natural, improper use of or defective equipment  	
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of	
Incendiary
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near
Insufficiently protected	
Unknown 	
Sparks from bonfire .
Electrical appliances
Thawing pipes 	
Chimneys—
Defective 	
Sparks from 	
Electrical appliances
Exposure
Fireplace, sparks from
Fireworks  	
$1,500
6,800
87
700
2,119
16,326
$50
1,417
1,100
12,000
558
70,377
$111
240
$1,500
6,000
$491
100
270
1,012
100
15
220
$1,500
13,000
100
25
2,000
$1,475
7,315
$12,002
3,475
3,000
850
$345
1,889
42,191
140
39,917
8,669
184
184
268
3,694
17,696
$39
203,872
$181
85
722
2,362
18
531
$45,667
85,502
351
7,500
2,208
25
16,625
8,790
19,327
66
115,177
25
203,911
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 25
TABLE V,
-CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
90
26
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of 	
3
1
1
3
8
12
.     11
1
1
9
$867
1,560
255
144
546
708
11,377
85
15,853
15,661
Short circuit  -  	
Smokers' carelessness—
Sparks from bonfire   	
1
2
1
3
1
2
1
$50,955
$478
2,495
50,000
10,105
306
23,131
9,683
50
7,200
274,908
67,964
782
307,717
1,408,782
Friction—
In conveyer-belt    	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, explosion   ..
Incendiary   ...            	
1
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment—
1
10
5
1
18
Short circuit
Sparks from engine     	
43
1
1
9
Furnace, defective.         . ..
2,163,601
$23,567
29,250
307,421
12
731
25
1,815
204
40
792,840
.   144
1
.     13
Gasoline-torch carelessness       	
Matches—•
Carelessness with   —       —
1
1
1
1
2
1
8
Oil-burner, defective    .. _
Smokers' carelessness _
Sparks from bonfire   	
Chimneys—
1
1,155,905
Sheds 	
$229
943
420
60
119
3,086
1,076
3,675
600
275
1,231
40,024
2,389
11,809
1,050
1,928
7,960
1,374
20
7,952
1,877
47,768
3
1
Defective wiring                     	
Electrical appliances  _
1
2
6
4
Furnace, defective              .  _.
Gasoline, carelessness with ..   	
Heat radiation         	
Hot ashes, coals, etc.	
1
1
2
5
12
1
.     25
1
10
9
Oil-burner, defective 	
Smokers' carelessness
Sparks from engine 	
1
1
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near	
1
2
Unknown ...        _.
54
1
1
1
1
135,865
1,315
$25
150
5,000
275,994
50
66,666
Shingle-inills .
Boiler, defective ..    .
Gasoline vapour explosion  _.     „
 __.          	
Sparks from mill burner ..
Spontaneous ignition
Unknown
2
1
7
347,885
 U 26
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Ships
Shipyards
Smelting plants
31
Smoke-houses 	
Steam baths	
Steel-fabricating plants
Stores —
189
Stores and apartments —
45
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment, sparks
from 	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment, sparks
from   	
Smokers' carelessness 	
Dust explosion .
Electrical appliances 	
Friction in machinery ..
Furnaces, sparks from
Hot ashes 	
Molten metal 	
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment—
Carelessness with 	
Sparks from	
Short circuit 	
Unknown   	
Boiler, defective	
Hot grease, ignition of .
Chimney, defective
Electrical appliances
Exposure 	
Chimneys—
Defective     	
Sparks from    	
Defective wiring   	
Electrical appliances   	
Exposure _   	
Fireworks ,  	
Furnaces or furnace-pipes—
Combustible material too near 	
Insufficiently protected 	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, improper use of or defective equipment  	
Gas, natural, improper installation of appliance
Gasoline—•
Carelessness with  	
Stoves, lamps, torches .
Hot grease, oil, tar, etc., ignition of 	
Incendiary  	
Inflammable vapours, ignition of  	
Matches—■
Carelessness with _ 	
Children with _  . .	
Oil-burners—
Defective   	
Explosion 	
Sparks from 	
Oxy-gas welding  or  cutting  equipment,  sparks
from 	
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness—
In public premises  —.  	
In unlisted locations	
Sparks from bonfire	
Spontaneous ignition    	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Insufficiently protected   	
Sparks from   	
Unknown 	
Chimney, defective     	
Defective wiring	
Electrical appliances  	
Exposure —   	
Gas, natural, explosion  — 	
Hot grease, ignition of	
Matches, children with	
Short circuit   	
$1,128
1,128
$570
35
250
325
50
21,515
25
300
48,157
10,281
$32
100
$103
230
$216
773
19,001
64,930
49,549
571
131
1,678
200
125
9,429
200
1,113
54,042
100
3
348
40
2,680
24
14,272
164,783
2,953
26,732
178
100
350
883
658,608
$319
1,000
3,616
34,580
93
1,362
113
20,071
$25
2,256
81,508
132
830
333
1,074,012
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 27
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
_.    21
17
Smokers' carelessness—
3
$330
2,374
7,559
342
180
56,558
       3
      13
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near 	
        1
2
Unknown              ..   ....
Defective wiring    .
Electrical appliances —
        8
1
..           1
1
$128,497
Stores and dwellings	
$74
300
98
18,800
368
6,479
1,000
30,535
6,391
55
3,800
105
1,155
66,445
Incendiary	
Oil-burners—
Defective  —_	
Defective equipment    .
        1
-   .        1
       2
1
Short circuit 	
Smokers' carelessness—
       2
_ ..   ..      2
In unlisted locations 	
2
....         1
Stoves or stove-pipes—
_...     .       1
1
           4
Electrical appliances     —
Exposure	
2
       2
         1
135,605
$14,379
11,142
12,078
1,431
320
35
16,112
243
101,327
_    25
Oil-burners—
Defective  	
Defective equipment   — 	
....     .      3
1
       1
Smokers' carelessness     	
Spontaneous ignition   	
Unknown _  	
Chimney, defective               -   .
Exposure
Fireplace, defective  	
Fireworks           	
2
1
....      4
...    ...      1
1
1
1
1
157,067
$83
7,298
245
15
200
150
75
63
165
140
2,324
4,150
20
64,011
1
2
8
2
Incendiary      	
...      .      1
1
Short circuit
Smokers' carelessness—
       2
3
3
       4
1
       1
Unknown
Incendiary   	
Incendiary
-     .         4
1
-   .         1
...   .          1
78,939
59,878
Tanneries
Telephone exchanges
$3,762
100
Gasoline—
        1
3,862
Tents
$490
1,071
237
89
50
74
1,053
1
1
I
1
1
Unknown ~  ....  __   .
2
....   .       1
3,064
Theatr-s
$1,194
1,200
Exposure                        .   ....
1
2,394
 U 28
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE V.—CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY BURNED
AND CAUSES—Continued
Property
Causes
Amount of Loss
Trailers (house)
Trestles
Tug-boats
Warehouses
Wharves
Woodworking plants
Workshops
47
41
Totals
.8,268
Electrical appliances
Exposure 	
Fireworks	
Friction in tires 	
Gas, liquefied petroleum-
Explosion
Improper use of or defective equipment
Kerosene stove	
Matches, carelessness with   	
Oil-burners—
Defective       	
Explosion   	
Short circuit    	
Smokers' carelessness—
In bed 	
In the home	
While intoxicated	
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Combustible material too near
Defective  	
Insufficiently protected
Thawing pipes	
Unknown 	
Gasoline, carelessness with
Engine back-firing 	
Gasoline—
Carelessness with	
Vapour explosion	
Heat radiation 	
Molten metal 	
Oil-burner, defective .
Oxy-gas  welding  or  cutting  equipment,  sparks
from  	
Stoves insufficiently protected 	
Unknown   	
Exposure _
Incendiary
Chimneys, sparks from „..
Stoves or stove-pipes—
Insufficiently protected
Sparks from 	
Unknown 	
Gasoline, carelessness with
Hot ashes .
Kerosene, carelessness with
Smokers' carelessness
Stoves insufficiently protected
Unknown  	
Exposure  .  5
Furnace, combustible material too near  — 1
Incendiary   2
Inflammable vapours, ignition of   1
Oil-burner explosion    1
Oxy-gas welding or cutting equipment—
Carelessness with     1
Sparks from   2
Short circuit    2
Smokers' carelessness      4
Sparks from bonfire    -   1
Stoves or stove-pipes—■
Combustible material too near _.   1
Insufficiently protected     1
Unknown      -_   19
$2,508
4,668
625
2,100
133
3,300
206
70
11,330
5,248
6,464
75
208
3,122
2,284
73
2,435
64
21,661
$4,000
1,500
13,735
23
25
350
45,000
62,976
51,117
$138,542
257
434
242
300
300
5,677
1,149
120,086
350,051
42
586
175,769
$15,000
11,500
$15,177
2,250
2,160
5,062
$2,578
200
75
400
14,638
1,500
$66,574
15
178,726
793,435
26,500
24,649
19,391
$14,859,552
 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
U 29
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
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 REPORT OF FIRE MARSHAL,  1959
TABLE VIII.—LOSS OF LIFE, 1950-59
U 31
Occupancy
Number
of
Fires
Cause of Fire
Loss of Life
Men      Women Children
Total
Aircraft	
Apartments..
Arenas..
Dwellings-
1
40
Factories (briquette)	
Fishing-boats	
Foundries	
Garages, public.	
Hotels	
Motor-vehicles (2)—
Automobile, passenger.
Trucks-
Oil-wells.-
Outdoors.
Power-houses	
Railroad rolling-stock..
Rooming-houses-
Stores and dwellings..
Tents  _	
Trailers (house)..
Totals, 1959	
Totals, 1958	
Totals, 1957	
Totals, 1956	
Totals, 1955	
Totals, 1954	
Totals, 1953	
Totals, 1952	
Totals, 1951	
Totals, 1950 _.
Ten-year totals..
63
Aeroplane crash (1) 	
Smokers' carelessness (1)  _
Stoves or stove-pipes, combustible material too near (1)	
Thawing of pipes (1)..
Electrical appliances (1)	
j Furnace upset (1) 	
Gas, liquefied petroleum, explosion (1)..
Gas, natural, explosion (1)	
Gasoline, carelessness with (4)	
Kerosene (3)'—
Carelessness with (1) ,	
Stoves (2)..
Matches, children with (1)	
Smokers' carelessness (10)—
In bed (4)..
In the home (4)..
While intoxicated (2)..
Stoves or stove-pipes (11)—
Combustible material too near (3)..
Defective (1)~
Insufficiently protected (5).
Sparks from (2)	
Unknown (7)~
Unknown (1)..
Gasoline vapour explosion (3)..
Molten metal (1)_
Inflammable vapours, ignition of (1)_
Smokers' carelessness, in bed (1)	
Smokers'
CD-
carelessness, while intoxicated
Acetylene torch, carelessness with (1)_
Gas, natural, explosion (1)	
Gasoline carelessness (1)	
Sparks from bonfire (2)	
Short circuit (1)	
Collision (1) 	
Unknown (1)..
Stoves or stove-pipes insufficiently protected (1)
Unknown (1)	
Smokers' carelessness, while intoxicated
(1) _	
47
28
45
38
26
29
24
27
19
28
311
9
14
12
16
11
13
13
6
12
13
119
30
25
41
31
28
30
19
17
18
19
258
1
1
1
1
3
4
2
2
6
2
2
2
4
5
2
3
1
7
2
13
1
3
1
1
1
67
98
85
65
72
56
50
49
60
688
 U 32
BRITISH COLUMBIA
TABLE IX.—TWENTY-YEAR FIRE LOSS
20
19
18
.
\
20
19
18
/
\
\
/
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17
16
15
14
13
12
11
/
17
16
15
14
13
12
II
10
9
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7
6
5
4
3
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„•■•*
.......
1940 '41   42 43 '44 '45 '46 '47 '48 2.9 '50 '51  '52 '53 ;54 J55 '56 57 '58 '59
  ANNUAL DOLLARS LOSS (MILLIONS)
  FIRE FATALITIES (TENS)
  AVERAGE DOLLAR LOSS PER FIRE (HUNDREDS)
  NUMBER OF FIRES (THOUSANDS)
Printed by Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
in right of the Province of British Columbia.
1961
660-1260-9154