Show APPALLING WASTE mounta mounting g fire loss predicted CHICAGO with fire losses continuing to mount damage may exceed the billion dollar mark by 1950 frank A christensen Chrls president of national board of fire underwriters warns in urging s support por t 0 of f th the federal action program t to save III life and resources which was the result of president Tr conference on fire prevention the increasing fire waste was attributed by christensen to two causes one physical and one psychological ch the physical factor tends to increase the number of fires fire of all and the size ol of losses where flames gain headway because of delayed alarms poor fire protection negligence or bad housekeeping he explained the psychological factor arises out of our careless and reckless habits he explained christensen Chrls pointed out that since 1941 national waste by fire has more than doubled rising to million dollars tor for the 12 months ended april ot of this year from no million dollars for or 1941 even more anore appalling he said it is the indication that the loss of may have risen to a figure never experienced before loss of life in hotel fires in 1946 was greater than in any year in our history despite a 22 per cent increase in arson investigations the national board had found a sharp decline in the number of fires started for profit during the last year the board pointed out that in the year ended april 30 juveniles accounted tor for almost half of the persons arrested because of incendiary fires and persons persona mentally irresponsible for another large share |