'It’s a lot': Chief fire prevention officer issues safety plea as fire calls increase

The Ontario Fire Marshall has been to town three times in the past ten days.

“It’s a lot,” says Mike Coste, chief fire prevention officer. He is hoping the OFM won’t have to come back to the city for the rest of the year.

Suspicion around cause and high value damage are part of the criteria that prompt a visit from the OFM.

Their most recent trip was to investigate a fire at the corner of Wyandotte Street East and Parent Avenue last Friday.

The weekend before the OFM investigated a blaze on Erie near Marion and also looked into a fire on Campbell Avenue.

Those are three of the eight major fires already this year which remain under investigation.

“If the past is indicative of the future it's not been good so hopefully it slows down,” said Coste.

There have been over 330 calls to service so far in 2022.

Fire normally makes up about five per cent of total calls. In the last ten months that number has gone up to 10-12 per cent, double the usual.

Major fires may be more visible but it’s the small calls keeping the department on the road.

“Lots of CO calls. Smoke alarm calls. Car accidents. A lot of medicals," Coste said.

He adds accidental fires have also been a big contributor with a lot more cooking fires. He feels many are getting burned by multi-tasking. He says careless disposal of smoking materials is also affecting the number of calls. Although there has not been any loss of life this year Coste reminds residents to check their smoke alarms and co detectors.

“We had a duplex fire the other night in west Windsor and the owner did not have working smoke alarms,” he said.

No working carbon monoxide detector as well. Total fine — $720.

According to Coste about 20 percent of dwellings in the city do not have the proper alarms and detectors which are mandated by law.

He pleads with the public to be safe.

“It's not the fire that's going to kill you, it's the smoke.”