Fire extinguishers in Iqaluit apartment building go years without inspection

An Iqaluit apartment resident wants to know why the fire extinguisher in his unit went years overdue for an inspection and is worried extinguishers across the territory are in a similar situation, posing potential fire hazards.

Al Joseph moved into his federally-leased apartment building last year and noticed the tag on his fire extinguisher said its last inspection was in2008.

"I know that fire safety equipment has to be inspected regularly, far more regularly than once a decade," Joseph said.

According to the national fire code, extinguishers should be inspected annually and tested every six years.

Joseph is a former Ontario forest firefighter.

"Fire safety is a concern for everybody, not just for me but for my neighbours, whether it be me burning toast in the toaster or somebody else melting a pot on the stove," he said.

He askedco-workers when the last time theextinguishers in theirunitswerechecked.

"One person said theirs hadn't been inspected since 2003," he said.

After moving in, he said heexpected to be notified an inspection would be coming but after months of waiting, he contacted Public Works and Government Services Canada.

The federal department leases the building from Northern Property Real EstateInvestment Trust. A work order was issued and Northern Property replaced the extinguisher a week later.

Joseph said if Public Works is leasing the apartments, it should be checking in with the owner to make sure the building is being taken care of, including regular inspections of fire extinguishers.

"If they're putting in a work order to fix a door then they should be following up to make sure that the work is being done to a standard that's acceptable to them. And if that standard, in this case, if it's the national fire code, then they should be making sure that that standard is being met," he said.

Nunavut's Office of the Fire Marshal is responsible for enforcing the national fire code, however, inspections of fire extinguishers are theresponsibility of a building owner.

"If anyone is concerned about their fire extinguisher, contact thelandlord, building owner or property management," said Jerry Anilniliak, Nunavut's Fire Marshal Trainee.