MONTREAL - Firefighters visited homes Saturday to remind Montrealers that when it's time to change the clocks, it's also time to change batteries in smoke detectors.
Two women died following a fire on Van Horne Ave. last Wednesday. In the 17 apartments affected by that blaze, some had smoke detectors – but none had working batteries.
The statistics are startling, said Pierre Sigouin of the fire department's prevention bureau.
"Every year between 16 and 18 persons lose their lives in the Montreal agglomeration because of fire. Out of these 16 to 18 people, 60 to 80 per cent of the time--the smoke detectors weren't working," he said.
The latest smoke detectors come with batteries that last up to ten years, and are impossible to remove, but those that don't have them should replace them when they change their clocks twice a year.
Location is key, said Sigouin.
"Take you smoke detector and place it on the wall between four inches and 12 inches of the ceiling. It's going to reduce the false alarms. And do not locate it close to the bathroom or the kitchen," he said.
