By CHRIS LLOYD

An extensive investi-
gation into the cause of
Tuesday’s $30,000 fire
which came close to

destroying a North
‘Vancouver a
building has led a

District fire inspector
to a unique theory as to
how the blaze started.

After eliminating all other
possibilities, Inspector Jack
Hastings feels there can only
have been one cause — the
cat.

The occupant of the lower
apartment at 1259 Emory
Place was adamant that he
had left his hairdryer on top
of the bookcase. Yet, when
Hastings checked the burned
out suite the dryer was
across the room, lying on the
floor.

In front of it was a heavy
burn mark on the carpet and
a burn line leading to an
armchair. Hastings also
found a cat that had died in
the fire.

The inspector is satisfied
that from all the signs there
is only one way the fire could
have started:

The hairdryer had been
left turned off with the plug
still in the wall socket. While
the occupant was out the cat
must have started playing
with the hairdryer cord,
pulling the dryer off the
bookcase, with the result
that it turned on as it crashed
to the ground.

Hastings concludes that
sparks from the dryer set
light .to the carpet and the
dryer fanned the fire across
the room to the chair which
was directly in line.

After the chair caught
light, the fire spread to the
entire apartment.

The occupant, a = non-
smoker who doesnt hke
people smoking in his place,
smelled the smoke. ran
down to his apartment,
booted in the door and saw
the flames spreading to the
curtains.

He roused another oc-
cupant who was also aslecp
in the downstairs areca and

GOLDEN
CAPITAL

CHINESE
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open 4-11 pm
Sunday 4-10 p m

2168 Marine Drive
West Van

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while making his way out of
the apartment this man
dumped a bucketload of
water on the fire. He then
refilled the bucket and was
just about to throw a third
bucketful when the blaze
flared up in front of him and
he ran for the door.

When North Vancouver
District firefighters arrived
they kicked open the door
on the basement landing and
flames roared up the side of
the complex to beyond the
roof level.

Inspector Hastings told
the News: “The fire was a
spectacular save by the fire-
fighters, which prevented it
from spreading any further.
It was a magnificent save.”

As it happened, none of
the occupants of the
complex had insurance to
cover their destroyed
contents.

Hastings decided there
was only one thing. still
needed to confirm his theory
as to how the fire had
Started.

An autopsy of the dead
cat, he felt would tell all. If it
showed the cat had died
from smoke inhalation it was
unlikely it had anything to
do with it. If it had died from
electrocution then it had
probably bitten through an
electric cord and caused a
short which started the fire
and if it had died from burns
it seemed most likely the
animal had died from the fire
presumed to have started by
the hairdryer.

But when he went back to
the apartment shortly after
the fire the evidence had
disappeared. Someone had
put the dead cat outside with
the garbage and meanwhile
the municipal garbage
collectors had emptied the
load into their truck and
driven off. -

However, Hastings | still
feels just about certain that
his theory is the only way to

account for the fire.

Fight the
lung
cripplers

Emphysema, Asthma, Tuberculosis,
Chronic Bronchitis. Alr Pollution

Use
Christmas
Seals °

A3 - Sunday News, November 29, 1980

ALSS
INSIDE

SARS

Different :

EARLY SANTA is one of séveral that have been spr-
inging up on the North Shore. On this occasion Santa
was visiting Park Royal’s Gallery West, much to the
delight of the Little guy pictured with him

about Christmas morning. (Ellsworth Dickson photo)

ad correction:

EUROPEAN HEALTH SPA

ad for European Health Spa Nov. 26 should
have read.

Special Open House Sunday, Nov. 30th, 1980
at the Plaza International Hotel.

is

Not in his
apartment
PAGE C7

Dhessing up the delights
of Holiday

Dresses are: just right for that office
bash. Special outfits for holiday din-
ners, disco and family affairs.

Feminella

9.B Westlynn Mall ,
North Vancouver
202 Lansdowne Park

Tips for
travellers
PAGE C10

Automotive
Classified

985-7615

B14
A25

Community Roundup A116

Entertainment 810

Richmond Food crs
Hayden Stewart font)

CHARGRN Malibon aT
Sports a1

VISA Travel c10
TV Time ci?

What's Going On 612