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In the past two weeks, St. Catharines Fire Services has responded to eight fires, all of which were preventable, says Fire Chief Dave Upper. In response to the recent fires and with the colder weather approaching, SCFS is asking residents to keep fire safety top of mind.
The causes of the recent fires included unattended cooking, a space heater, and careless smoking.
St. Catharines Fire Services has the following tips for preventing these types of fires:
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. Also turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason. Unattended cooking continues to be the leading cause of fires in Ontario.
- To prevent electrical fires, avoid overloading outlets. Use only CSA approved appliances and extension cords. Make sure any electrical work, such as adding additional outlets, is done by a licenced electrician.
- When smoking, smokers should be alert, smoke outside, and never smoke in bed. Use deep and sturdy ashtrays. Before you throw out butts or ashes, make sure they are out, and put them in water or sand. Also never toss butts off a balcony.
“As part of your pre-winter routine, we encourage residents to have their furnaces and chimneys inspected and cleaned by a qualified professional,” added Fire Chief Dave Upper. “Please also ensure you have working smoke and CO alarms in your home and test them regularly.”
Additional fire safety information can be found at www.stcatharines.ca/firesafety.
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