Nunavut fire marshal issues reminder to protect sheds from fire

Shed safety is on the mind of the Office of the Nunavut Fire Marshal after a May 14 fire in a shed in Iqaluit, close to buildings and another shed. (FILE PHOTO)

Nunavut’s fire marshal is issuing a safety warning to the owners of sheds located near residential buildings.

The advice comes several days after a shed in the centre of Iqaluit burned down on May 14. It has since been torn down.

On Friday, the fire marshal issued a public service announcement that offered the following safety precautions:

• Make sure sheds do not block access to fuel storage tanks, or access to emergency exits, windows or doorways.

• Do not store combustible materials in a shed or on the ground next to any building. This is a serious fire hazard.

• Combustible materials must be stored in containers approved for that purpose.

• Sheds should be secured to prevent tampering.

• A minimum distance of three to five metres is required between sheds and residential buildings. This distance allows clear access for firefighting operations and reduces the possibility of a fire spreading to a residential unit.

If you’re a landlord, you must provide a safe environment for tenants to reduce fire hazards, the fire marshal said, and tenants need to ensure that sheds do not endanger other tenants and their residences.

For more information, contact the office of the fire marshal at 867-975-5310 or esafety@gov.nu.ca.