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Enjoy a safe Christmas

BNICATIONS
, unter

Season fraught with potential fire hazards

By CHRIS LLOYD

Family gatherings around the tree, drinks
and social get-togethers with friends before a
roaring fire, and the delight of children tear-
ing the wrapping paper off one present after
another. Al] are the classic ingredients that
make traditional Christmas celebrations a
time to brighten up the bleakness of winter.
But all are also potential dangers that can turn
joy into disaster.

Apart from the obvious
increase in the problem of
driving safety because of the

departments express horror
at the fact that people sull
use candles instead of lights

volume of alcohol flowing But even light systems have
during the season. the proven potential of starting
festivities: present the very uncontrollable fires, as an
real threat of fire And all elderly Deep Cove widow
three North Shore fire learned to her cost two
departments are asking Christmases ago

residents to take simple The expemence of  67-
basi precaufons to help vear-old Martha Simpson 1s
avoid disasters they hase a classic example of the kind

seen over the same holiday of
penod in previous vears
Ihe centre of

celebrations the

disaster that) Christmas
can present and which fire
departments cite when
urging (he kind of care (hat
might

the
Christmas

tree ois itself a prime tire otherwise seem oun

necessary (Cautious
Mrs

hazard
Dred out trees are highty
inflammable

Sampson was

and

any tree replacing a blown oul hght
left near oa fireplace asa bulb on her Christmas tree
targetfor trouble and the socket began
Then theres the addition sparking. even after she tned

of tree lighting hire removing the bulb from it

aS na ~ aa
~~ 4 .
CAPITAL “q farm grown
CHINESE > sated
RESTAURANT ‘HY
*fully hcenced

Mew
open 4 11 pm TE

Sunday 4 10pm

sheared, Very trqpatis

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living trees
& fresh holly

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West Van

926-6037

By the time she had fet-
ched a pot of water to throw
over it, the entire Christmas
tree was blazing and the
walls and ceiling had also
caught fire. Though the fire
department arrived, within
five minutes, Mrs. Simpson's
house was destroyed.

Because of inadequate
insurance, Mrs. Simspon
spent more than a= year

Irying to persuade Distmct
council! to allow her to
subdivide her double lot so
that she could afford to build
another house from the sale
of one half of the lot It was
only in recent: months that
she even obtained — per-
mission
PRECAUTIONS

This was an instance of
disaster occurring even after
precautions were taken
Mrs. Simpson had been
conscious enough of | fire
dangers to water the base of
the tree regularly However.
when replacing the blown
light bulb she did not unplug
the light system as the power
supply was difficul€ to reach

Last Christmas saw a fire
which caused more than
$77 OOO damage to a Mount
Royal house and was again

Weve Got Em,,, All Sizes... Great Shapes...

a J
GOLDEN 3s, CHRISTMAS TREES ;
ze oh

suspected of being caused by
an electncal problem with
ornamental lights.

North Van District fire
inspector Bert Batt com-
ments: “The prevention is to
make sure you buy approved
lights and follow the in-

CONTINUED ON PAGE All

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Tae

A3 - Sunday News, December 21, 1980

STRIKE ACTION
against B.C. Tel is
visible in various
locations lately. These
two members of the
Computer Com-
munications Group of
the Telecom-
munications Workers,
Dave Mitchell (left) and
Gerry Takenaka
picketed the Westel
office on Lonsdale last
week. (Ellsworth
Dickson photo)

ae

) JT WEST VANCOUVERS

WONG'S WOK,

. Gourmet Cantonese Cusine

EERE
! 926-7371 :
Fre) ff

ORDER IN CHINESE

UNIQUE CHRISTMAS IDEA

* Quartz Time Frame «x

Picture frame with a Quartz
clock and an alarm or dual zone.
Ideal

| person who is always on the
move.

| 525°

~ TOTEMCOLOR

Film Laboratories (1980) Lid.
119 East 1st St., N.Van.

986-2271.

for the desk or that

ALSO
INSIDE §

Off to the

big time
PAGE BI

A new
career
PAGE Cl

A need to
conserve
PAGE C4

Mandarin
delights
PAGE C10

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