DISPATCHES
Tough arson law in Canada
For more than 10 years Canadian police chiefs and fire marshals have been campaigning for tougher arson laws. Their determination has paid off: As of July 1990, Bill C-53 was enacted, which amends the Criminal Code provisions on arson.
The new law redefines arson to include damage caused by explosives and damage to all property including motor vehicles. Possession of incendiary material for arson purposes is now an offense that carries up to a five-year prison term. A conviction of arson caused by negligence also can carry a five-year sentence.
According to Vince Del Buono of Canada’s Department of Justice, this now places an obligation on building owners to meet fire laws. If a fire occurs in a building as a result of negligence in meeting fire standards, the landlord can be convicted of criminal charges.
Penalties also have been increased for other arson offenses. Arson to defraud insurers now carries a possible 10-year prison term. Arson involving homes or causing bodily harm to others could result in life imprisonment.
According to Gordon MacKay of the Canadian Center for Justice Statistics. more than 10,000 arson offenses are reported in Canada each year. More than 1,200 firefighters have been injured from arson fires in the past five years.
The Honourable Kim Campbell, minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, says, “This new legislation makes public safety and protection of firefighters a top priority and will significantly reduce fatalities and injuries caused by deliberately and accidentally set fires.”
Electrician found guilty of faulty work
Richard Salz, an electrician in East Haven, Connecticut has been convicted of doing faulty electric work that resulted in a fatal fire. Salz was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison, eligible for parole in five years.
According to Fred Brow, fire marshal/deputy chief of the East Haven Fire Department, the fire occurred in a single-family, Cape Cod-style home in East Haven in December 1988. When firefighters arrived the fire was fully involved. Three of the occupants had escaped but one 12-year-old boy was still trapped inside. Rescue attempts were unsuccessful, and he died in the fire. No firefighters were injured.
Brow says the fire originated in the finished basement playroom. It began at the base of the paneled west wall, where an electric heater was permanently mounted. The heater ignited the wall and fire traveled quickly up the stairs. The lack of a door at the top of the basement stairs contributed to fire spread, Brow adds.
A 15-hour investigation revealed that Salz had wired the 110-volt heater for 220 volts and had grounded it using two independent circuit breakers instead of a connected breaker. There were also signs of a thermostat malfunction. Salz had not obtained a permit to do the electrical work, according to Brow.
Following the investigation the East Haven police and fire departments jointly charged Salz with second-degree manslaughter. He was found guilty and sentenced on August 10, 1990. Brow believes this case sets a precedent in the United States.
NVFC offers sprinkler kit
“Don’t Give Fire a Home” is a resource kit designed to promote the acceptance and use of home fire sprinkler systems. Volunteer fire departments and anyone else interested can obtain the kit through the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Resource Center.
Most fire deaths occur in oneand two-family dwellings. The NVFC is campaigning to ensure that developers, builders, and realtors understand the life-saving benefits of sprinkler systems. Since they deal with the public at the point of sale, they can greatly influence the decision to install sprinklers. The kit contains information to aid discussion with these groups.
Two camera-ready public service advertisements are also included to encourage sprinkler use in both new’ construction and existing homes. Fact sheets and other material are designed to help fire department personnel respond to questions about residential sprinkler use.
Copies of the kit were distributed to NVFC members at no cost and are available to non-NVFC members for SI8.95. Orders must be prepaid – Virginia residents add 4 ½ percent sales tax.
Send kit requests to: Don’t Give Fire a Home, NVFC Resource Center, P.O. Box 25215, Alexandria, VA 22313-5215.
