It’s happened again: another huge fire caused by a cigarette in a planter.
Cigarette fires have happened about 50 times this year, and more than 60 times last year. And still, it keeps on happening.
Investigators are wisely not telling us which balcony the Blue Quill fire started on.
Somebody might be upset. Listen — everybody should be upset.
Why are there no solid criminal charges available for starting a fire of this magnitude?
A resident could have been killed. A first responder could have lost their life.
But, no charges that actually work for putting a smouldering butt in a planter, because, supposedly it’s not a malicious act.
Look at the result — 90 units destroyed.
It’ll take years to get the place rebuilt, but no charges.
There is a bylaw against letting your dog bark at night, keeping people awake.
How about a fire that keeps people awake for days upset with their loss?
How about a bylaw making it illegal to use anything but a non-combustible ashtray on a balcony?
A listener tells me he objects to hearing the cigarette was carelessly tossed into a planter. He says it was deliberately tossed into a planter.
I’m sure he thought it was out.
Whatever, I think there needs to be a law that works.
Let me know what you think.