The Canadian Red Cross is raising concerns about what is calling a “worrisome trend” after responding to almost 20 residential fires across the province since January.
That’s almost half the number of house and apartment fires the agency responded to in all of 2007, which totalled 45.
The warning comes as emergency response volunteers dealt yesterday with a house fire in Liscomb Mills, Guysborough County, and a duplex that was destroyed in Springhill.
In Liscomb Mills, a family of four lost everything. The father was treated in hospital for smoke inhalation, and has since been released. The mother, pregnant with another child, received precautionary treatment.
The duplex fire left at least four people temporarily homeless.
The Red Cross is urging residents to be vigilant of fire hazards, have a household evacuation plan, smoke detectors and fire insurance.
