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Fire chief in Cape Breton speaks out in hopes of saving lives

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GLACE BAY, N.S. -

There have been several structure fires in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality recently.

Just in the past two weeks, Glace Bay Fire Department has responded to six house fires in the community.

"It has been a very rough week in 27 years I can honestly say this has been the roughest week," says Glace Bay Fire Chief John Chant.

Two teens were killed in a house fire on Brookside Street in the early morning hours Friday.

One person was found dead inside a building on Miner Avenue in New Waterford and it's not just Cape Breton, A six-person family from Amherst died in a trailer fire in Cumberland County.

Most of these fires have been classified as accidental in nature.

Chief John Chant says it's important to have an escape plan in place and a working smoke detector in every room.

"A lot of people only have a smoke detector in their hallway on each level and they think they're well protected, but they sleep with their door shut and their children sleep with their door shut," Chant said. "If the fire starts in a room with the door shut and it doesn't have a smoke detector there's no early warning for that room."

CTV reached out to the Fire Marshall's Office on Friday for an explanation on why the causes of fires are not public knowledge.

In an emailed response, a spokesperson says in an effort to be sensitive to the family or community while balancing the benefit to fire prevention, they generally stick to four causes, accidental, natural, incendiary, and undetermined.

With this being fire prevention week, Chief Chant says it's important not to let your guard down and be aware of your surroundings.

"Our whole world is electronic right now. You have to have electronic safety, make sure when you're charging things they're on a hard surface and when using electronic be wary," he added.

An important message to end a tough week for crews, who put their lives on the line every day.

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