‘Delayed fire detection’ a factor in fatal East Gwillimbury blaze

Ontario’s fire marshal said Wednesday that “delayed fire detection” played a role in the death of an East Gwillimbury family in a house fire last week.

Tadeusz (Ted) Wieclawek said there was no working smoke alarm on the main floor of the house, where the flames started, and that the wiring of the home smoke alarm system was compromised during the fire.

“As part of the fire alarm security system there was a device on the second floor and in the basement but not on the main floor of the home,” he said.

The flames started in the main floor laundry room, Wieclawek said.

According to Ontario law, smoke detectors are required on every floor of a home and outside all sleeping areas.

Kevin Dunsmuir, 55, his wife Jennifer, 51, and their sons, Robert, 19, and Cameron, 16, called 911 around 5:30 a.m. last Friday from their home at 72 Howard Ave., near Mt. Albert Road and Leslie Street.

Police were the first to arrive at the scene. The family was trapped in a bedroom at the front of the home and died before firefighters could reach them.

“At the time of the 911 call, the conditions were such that their avenue of escape down the stairwell and outside was already blocked,” Wieclawek said.

The Dunsmuirs’ eldest son David, 24, was away at university at the time.

A report in the Toronto Star on Wednesday said there are three fire halls within six kilometres of the house which is in Sharon, a village in the Town of East Gwillimbury. The fire station in Newmarket was reportedly the only one able to provide an immediate response. Fire officials there told the Star they never received a call for help from authorities in East Gwillimbury.

Volunteer East Gwillimbury firefighters responded to the blaze.

“There have been suggestions across the media that fire department response time was a factor in this incident,” Wieclawek said.

“Response time is not a significant contributing factor.”

The fire department responded within 12 minutes with 17 firefighters.

“If there’s an issue with the detection of the fire and subsequent notification of emergency responders, it’s going to have a considerable impact on their ability to mitigate that particular incident,” Wieclawek said.

The case remains an active fire investigation, he said.

Funerals will be held Friday.

A trust fund has been established for David Dunsmuir.

Donations can be made at any Bank of Montreal and made out to David Dunsmuir in Trust.

Transit # 3956
Account # 2985-104.