4 Canadians killed in Mexico hotel blast: official

So sad... With all the natural gas explosions it makes one wonder why anyone would want natural gas....

I guess some people just like having hot water, hot food and hot air in winter. Ask an insurance agent what the safest fuel is, statistically.

You can build a really nice hotel in the third world. Great food etc. but it's still the third world with the associated infrastructure.

Playa De Carmen is a great spot and I've had a fantastic time on all my visits but there is inherent risk in all these vacation spots in developing countries.

Buyer beware. It ‘aint Canada.

My sympathies to the families of those killed in this tragic incident.

Hopefully it's an accident...

Mmmm. Good point.

I guess some people just like having hot water, hot food and hot air in winter. Ask an insurance agent what the safest fuel is, statistically.

Well, since you asked (and I am an insurance broker BTW)...

According to the National Association of Fire Prevention between 2004 and 2008 (in the U.S. obviously as I've never seen statistics for Canada) the number of fires from home heating equipment by fuel type are:

Liquid-fueled (i.e. oil): 4,170 (38%)
Electric-powered: 3,660 (33%)
Gas-fueled (i.e. natural gas): 2,990 (27%)
Solid-fueled (i.e. wood, coal): 180 (2%)

Keep in mind one of the reason for solid fuel's low number is that solid fuel furnaces in a home are pretty rare. The number of deaths/injuries resulting from these fire as as follows:

Liquid-fueled: 0 (0%)/11 (9%)
Electric-powered: 3 (7%)/36 (27%)
Gas-fueled: 20 (48%)/85 (64%)
Solid-fueled: 18 (43%)/0 (0%)

And property damage from these fire (in millions):

Liquid-fueled: $10 (14%)
Electric-powered: $18 (25%)
Gas-fueled 2,990: $37 (53%)
Solid-fueled: $5 (8%)

These are national estimates of fires reported to U.S. municipal fire departments and so exclude fires reported only to Federal or state agencies or industrial fire brigades. So fires from natural gas are less frequent, however their fires tend to cause greater casualties and result in more damage (probably because there is usually an accompanying explosion). So take the numbers as you will.

Good stats, QBall.
It would be nice to see them compared to the number of homes using each power source, though.

are those percentages based on total number of incidents? If so, your assertion would have more weight to it, if it were rates per 100,000.




I guess some people just like having hot water, hot food and hot air in winter. Ask an insurance agent what the safest fuel is, statistically.

Well, since you asked (and I am an insurance broker BTW)...

According to the National Association of Fire Prevention between 2004 and 2008 (in the U.S. obviously as I've never seen statistics for Canada) the number of fires from home heating equipment by fuel type are:

Liquid-fueled (i.e. oil): 4,170 (38%)
Electric-powered: 3,660 (33%)
Gas-fueled (i.e. natural gas): 2,990 (27%)
Solid-fueled (i.e. wood, coal): 180 (2%)

Keep in mind one of the reason for solid fuel's low number is that solid fuel furnaces in a home are pretty rare. The number of deaths/injuries resulting from these fire as as follows:

Liquid-fueled: 0 (0%)/11 (9%)
Electric-powered: 3 (7%)/36 (27%)
Gas-fueled: 20 (48%)/85 (64%)
Solid-fueled: 18 (43%)/0 (0%)

And property damage from these fire (in millions):

Liquid-fueled: $10 (14%)
Electric-powered: $18 (25%)
Gas-fueled 2,990: $37 (53%)
Solid-fueled: $5 (8%)

These are national estimates of fires reported to U.S. municipal fire departments and so exclude fires reported only to Federal or state agencies or industrial fire brigades. So fires from natural gas are less frequent, however their fires tend to cause greater casualties and result in more damage (probably because there is usually an accompanying explosion). So take the numbers as you will.

It now up to 5 Canadians

nice sig, and nice avatar

nice sig, and nice avatar
Thank you ASL

Shoot, sorry to hear this and my sympathies to the families.

And I agree with the folks who note that Mexico is not Canada. While Mexico has building codes those building codes are routinely nullified by the rampany corruption that typifies Mexico. Meaning that safety equipment that would routinely be installed with natural gas connections in Canada and the US can be done away with in Mexico with a simple bribe.

Hmmmm....Mexico isn't really "3rd world" though. It's the 2nd most developed Latin country in the Americas. But as you said, hopefully an accident.

My condolences to the families of the victims.

I dunno Sock. It's pretty third world in a lot of areas that I've seen. Any visits outside resort areas looked less than developed to me. Maybe '2 and half' world?