http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120616/bc_mission_fire_120616/20120616/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Saturday Jun. 16, 2012 4:47 PM PT
Two families in Mission, B.C. will spend a second night in a hotel after a fire forced them from their homes on Friday.
Mission Fire Chief Ian Fitzpatrick says fire crews were paged to the 7900-block of Burdock Street around 11:30 p.m. and found a home’s garage engulfed in flames.
“Two of the vehicles were on fire, and the fire had moved its way into the roof area, into the attic,” he said.
Thirty fire fighters responded to the blaze that spread to the roof of a neighbouring home after swallowing up a third vehicle.
Fitzpatrick says their work was made more difficult by a tin roof that trapped heat and their need to wait for BC Hydro to re-energize lines.
“We had electrical wires down on two of the vehicles, and they were live,” he said.
Two families, including four kids and half a dozen pets, escaped without injury.
The first home that caught on fire belongs to Patricia Regan, a mother-of-two, whose husband died two years ago in a car accident.
Her mother-in law, Inga Regan, says the family had just finished renovations.
“It used to be my house, my son bought it from me, so its lots of memories in that home. But homes can be replaced, lives can’t,” she said.
The family questions whether a recent upgrade sparked the blaze.
“They had a new smart meter installed a day ago, so that’s the only thing that changed. So they are suspicious of that,” Inga said.
Investigators examined the scene Sunday, probing the smart meter and a nearby propane tank. They are still trying to determine where and how the blaze began, but believe it likely started in a carport.
Neighbour Tina Ebaghetti is also raising questions abut the response time, saying that a fire station is located just blocks away.
“I’m so saddened how long it took a response,” she said. “It just took so long for them, when a minute seems like an hour.”
Fitzpatrick says it took him eight minutes from receiving the page to arrive at the fire.
“It does take time for our members to leave their houses, especially 11:30 at night, to get down to the fire hall, get into their gear and get out to the call,” he said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Bhinder Sajan
#1 by Bruce Laing on June 19, 2012 - 6:37 am
I am responding to the fire in Mission which may have been started by a smart meter. I have recently heard that there were approximately 800 fires started in Canada by these smart meters, the troubling issue is from what I have been able to find out, is BC Hydro and the insurance companies will not cover the fire dmage. I understand ( and am trying to find out ) is the meters are not CSA or CUL approved so cannot be legally installed and used in Canada. This is why insurance companies refuse to cover any damage caused by the meters. like I stated I am trying to find out if they are indeed approved for use in Canada. Another issue to note, from information I received from a BC Hydro employee is, BC Hydro is installing these meters so they can impose a surcharge on usage between 6AM and 9AM as well as 5PM and9PM. If people use there ranges, dryers, washers, dishwashers etc. it will show up via these new meters and BC Hydro will charge a much higher rate for peak time usage. We already have a two tier system, if these meters are installed be prepared for a three tier system. As we all know these new meters are causing sugnificant increases in BC Hydro charges, just wait until this third tier is iniated the increase will be astronomical!
#2 by Sorina on June 25, 2012 - 11:37 am
Bruce! This was my worry, would my Insurance Co, cover me in the event a house fire was caused as the result of the smart meter? Well I phoned the Ins.Co. I made note of date, time and the person’s name. Well the response was: You’re paying insurance aren’t you? I wrote all of this down on my policy,
If the Mission homes were the result of Smart Meter installation, I would try to take this to court. 900 homes has got to be enough evidence, that these meters are dangerous.
for more reasons than fires. How about health or privacy issues?
#3 by Mia Nony on August 7, 2012 - 1:24 am
BC Hydro says it’s not yet clear what caused a fire at a Coquitlam home where a smart meter had been installed one month earlier.
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/2-home-fires-probed-where-new-smart-meters-were-set-up-1.905587
2 home fires probed where new smart meters were set up
Published Monday, Aug. 6, 2012 4:04PM PDT
BC Hydro says it’s not yet clear what caused a fire at a Coquitlam home where a smart meter had been installed one month earlier.
The cause of the blaze that broke out early Sunday morning at the house on Darwin Avenue is under investigation.
BC Hydro says smart meters are safe and that inspections are carried out before the devices are set up.
“In the vast majority of cases we actually find problems when we actually pull the old meter off. It’s extremely rare that there is any kind of incident after a meter is installed,” BC Hydro spokesperson Cindy Verschoor said.
The Crown corporation also says it has repaired about 1,000 meter bases around the province.
In June, a fire also began at a home in Mission where a smart meter had recently been installed. BC Hydro says the BC Safety Authority is investigating that blaze.