Community leader Burrows calls for increased fire safety supports

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This article was published 30/01/2022 (1061 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A recent spate of inner-city house fires, including a blaze that killed a five-year-old last week, has sparked a new safety effort from long-time community activist Sel Burrows.

“When a house burns, people can die,” Burrows told the Free Press.

In the past seven days, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service has responded to at least 10 significant fires in the North End and West End.

On Jan. 27, a fire at 323 Simcoe St. killed a child and put four adults and four more children in hospital.

On Monday, a WFPS spokeswoman noted the number of fires in January are consistent with last year: from Jan. 1 to Jan. 26, 2022, the department responded to 108 total fires; it responded to 144 in January 2021.

Burrows wants to see more action on fire prevention and education from the City of Winnipeg, WFPS and landlords, focused on low-income neighbourhoods.

“No. 1 is get flyers out into every house in the inner-city written in about a Grade 3, Grade 4 level — 14 point print — talking about fire safety. Warning people about smoking, telling people if their heat’s off who to call to get their furnace fixed right away,” he said Monday, noting residents can call Manitoba Hydro when their furnace isn’t working.

Hydro spokesman Bruce Owen said the utility’s response to no-heat calls consist of a safety inspection of the equipment and ventilation.

“The problem is diagnosed, and any repairs related to the gas supply and safe combustion are completed. Minor adjustments may be also be completed,” Owen said in an email.

“Repairs related to gas supply and combustion are completed at no charge, except for replacement parts. These costs are applied to the customer’s monthly gas bill.”

Burrows also wants the WFPS and Hydro to partner on an exchange program: old space heaters swapped for modern, safer models.

Part of the education campaign he’s calling for would also include advocacy for tenant’s rights.

“(Landlords are) the first call to fix the furnace if it’s not working or if your wiring’s sparking… If they’re not (fixing it), there has to be a way to force that landlord to act fast. There has to be consequences to not being a good landlord,” Burrows said.

Tenants can call the Residential Tenancies Branch if landlords aren’t assisting with repairs.

After last week’s fires, Burrows said he spent time driving around his longtime neighbourhood of North Point Douglas and other lower-income areas.

“It really made me realize how many houses we are losing,” Burrows said. “For every one of those housing units, there’s a human being, a family that are having real problems finding another place to go.”

WFPS spokeswoman Erin Madden said the department’s fire prevention branch works with residents, business owners, landlords and community group to provide safety information, as well as inspections, among other tips.

She also noted the department has consulted with Burrows in the past and spoke with him recently.

“We have committed to working with him to reach residents in his community, as well as looking at additional outreach which can be done to further engage city residents.”

Another concern for Burrows is improper security of vacant and derelict buildings; on Saturday, he spotted four in a half-hour.

“Somebody could come along with a long screwdriver or a piece of rebar, pry that door off and go in… What do you do when you’re squatting and you’re cold? Maybe you start a little fire.”

Boarding regulations are set by the City of Winnipeg.

“We need the whole city, the whole community to know: if there’s a board pried off, call it in right away. And we need bylaw enforcement to go out and double check, when they issue an order, that it’s done properly,” Burrows said.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca