Rise in fast-burning house fires heats up calls for sprinklers in homes

‘I think the concept that the fire department will come and save you all the time is a myth’

Burned-out homes and distraught families are often all that’s left in the wake of a new breed of house fire that feeds off flammable furniture and open-concept designs.

Those fires, which chew through homes with frightening speed, are prompting firefighters and fire-prevention groups in Canada to push for the installation of sprinkler systems in new homes across the country.

“Fires today move very quickly, they are to be taken seriously. I think the concept that the fire department will come and save you all the time is a myth,” said Vince MacKenzie, a director with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs.