Provincial Fire Marshal Issues Alert

The provincial fire marshal, Robert Cormier, has strongly recommended that cell phones be turned off during the handling of flammable liquids, including refuelling at service stations.

The national media has reported incidents involving refueling of vehicles and activated cell phones, including one fire and injury in British Columbia.

The Office of the Fire Marshal said there is no scientific proof at this time as to the direct relationship between fires and cell phone usage. However, the office does recognize a possible hazard when combining vapours from flammable liquids and any power source, including a cell phone.