Fire officials attribute drop in inner city fires to property safety team
CTV
There's been a significant decrease in fires inside abandoned buildings in 2023 compared to 2022, Edmonton fire officials say.
There's been a significant decrease in fires inside abandoned buildings in 2023 compared to 2022, Edmonton fire officials say.
They believe the decrease is due to the work of a pilot program, the Community Property Safety Team.
The team searches out vacant buildings and holds owners accountable if they aren't boarded up to keep people out.
"They do physical inspections of the property to assess that they pose a fire risk. If they do, they will issue a compliance order to secure the building," Assistant Deputy Chief Justin Lallemand of Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said.
Owners are required to board up doors and windows and other entries, and even seal up screw holes.
If the owner fails to secure the building, the city does the work and sends a bill for it.
"If it’s a single family home it could range from $2,000 to $5,000. If it’s a two- to three-story walkup, it could be in the range of $10,000 to $20,000," Lallemand said.
