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(Updated)
December is a deadly month for fires. The Ontario Fire Marshal says the province sees between seven and 30 deaths this time of year. 14 people died in fires last December. And his holiday wish for this year is to see that number drop. We were there for a demonstration of how quickly Christmas can be ruined by fire.

These two rooms appear to be mirror images. But signs point out the differences. One room has been decorated safely, the other is a fire hazard.

“On this side we have three minutes of holiday havoc.”

The fire catches quickly and thirty seconds in, the flames take hold.

“Probably at the one minute mark, your chances of being able to escape that fire is untenable. You’ll also notice just how quickly the smoke the fire, the deadly toxins, extreme heat, how quickly it developed.”

“You don’t have a half an hour. You literally have minutes to react and you won’t be able to if you don’t have a working smoke alarm.”

In the unsafe side, the smoke detector has been disabled. The Christmas tree has been decorated with a frayed string of lights, it’s dried out from lack of watering and there is a space heater right beside the branches. The electrical outlets are over-plugged and the extension cord is under the rug. A lit candle sits precariously on a shallow dish.

You’ll notice, in this safely decorated room, on the table there is a coffee cup rather that a bottle of wine. And that’s because fire officials say a lot of accidents happen when people have been drinking.

The most common reason people die in a fire is unattended cooking. The fire marshal says this time of year, people are drinking and entertaining while they cook.

Ted Wieclawek, Ontario Fire Marshal: “Fire can happen anywhere, any time, but particularly when people let their guard down, during the holiday season.”

That’s why for the fire marshal, ’tis the season to be careful.