Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-02-10
s17.o7e,5ss FIRE LOSS IN
STATE IN FIVE YEARS

During the five years ending with 1920 |
fire losses in Confecticut caused the de- |
structdon Of property valued at the as
tonishing total Of s17,070,539, according |
to figures made public Thursday by the
national board of fire underwriters, which
complied the statistics from it's actuarial
bure au's records. These figures reveal, In
startling way, the price being paid by
this state for public ignorance and care
lessness in handling fire hazards
The causes are classified under three
headings of which twelve are designated as
strictly preventalole' with total of So
075,019 or 2s.7 per cent? of the whole
nine are designated as partly prevent
able" the aggregate being s5,500,770 or
32.2 per cent. of the complete loss, and in
addition there are those listed in the 'uR-
known" column, which total S6,494,750
or 1871 per cent. The Unknown losses
may be considered as largely preventahle,
since, if determined they would have been
distributed among the other causes.
| In analyzing the figures, 1t is found
| that while EXPOSURE which means the
effect Of communicated fires, was respon-
sible for the heaviest lass, $1,S74,153 the
principal specific cause of fire was Match
| es-smoking' with toll of s1,510,286. This
| indicates the existence of numerous care
| less smokers in Connecticut Next in i'm
| portance as causes of fire, were electric
| ity," slips, 2s5 then defective Chin
neys and hues," s1J677,o65; and then
stoves, furnaces, boilers and their pipes,
81 ,022,oe7.
| as follows:
| Strictly preventable causes: Defective
| chinaneys and hues, s1,077.06 fire.
/ works, frecrackers, ETC., S25226; gas,
natural and artificial, ss3,771; hot ashes
| and GOALS, open fires. s231,5 80; ignition Of
| hot grease, oil. tar, wax, asphalt, etc.
/ $11s,5s1 matches, smoking, s1,51o,2 ss I;
| open lights. s173.s67; petroleum and it's
products. S5o5,737; rubbish and litter,
steam and hot water pipes. s22,214 +;
stoves, furnaces. boilers and their pipes,
$1,000, oe7. Total. $5,O75.o1s.
Partly preventable causes; Electricity,
81, 123,2 s5; explosions, $3.50; exposure
(including con1a grations), s1,ST4153;
sparks from machinery, s463.723,; incen-
diarism, $751; lightning. s54s,o55
| miscellaneous known causes, S392 o55
sparks from combustion, 500 O2; spon-
taneous combustion. s65s,s40. Total
$5,50075o
Unknown causes (probably largely pre-
ventable), s6.4S4,75o.
The total loss was SIT 070,53s.
Connecticut stands 18th among all OF
the states in the amount of loss by fire
and the figures quoted should be in
creased by about rs per cent. to cover
losses not reported to the national board
of fire underwriters. The states losses
during the five years from 1915 to 1920
inclusive. averaged S3.4141 o7 per annum
If the toal of SIT ,o70 ,53s could have beer
used instead of wasted. it would hav,
built 3.414 houses at $1,000 apiece, sui
icient to furnish homes for II, 070 PEG
| pie, or nearly the population of Ansonia
or 1T would have built 1 .707 miles of gooC
macadam roads at $4,000 a mile
A study of such figures indicates tn
need of public education in fire proven
/, ,tion. 1t should be realized that propert.
destroyed by fire represents at utter an,
irretrievable loss to the people as a Who'll
while the inexcusable toll in human lif
e and suffering can hardly be computed
| says the board.