Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 23/02) - Yellowknife's first taste of - 40 C temperatures this winter means it's a busy time if you're a firefighter or plumber.

The Yellowknife Fire Department responded to two reports Monday morning of sprinkler systems discharging due to cold weather.

Jennifer Marchant, general manager for Centre Square, said cold weather was to blame for an alarm that went off at approximately 9:30 a.m.

The frigid temperatures caused a leak in one of the upper deck parking lot's sprinklers.

After replacing it, and switching the water back on, the alarm went off.

Fire department officials thought there was a similar problem at the Toronto Dominion Bank two-and-a-half hours earlier, but it turned out to be nothing more than a "popped" sprinkler.

"I thought it was because of freezing," said Polar Pandas Development building superintendent Zoltan Turi, "But that wasn't the case."

A real freeze up of the bank's sprinkler system occurred a month ago, causing a temporary delay of automated bank machine service, said Turi.

Paul Rogers, a certified plumber with Great Slave Mechanical, said he has responded to approximately 30 calls about freezing pipes so far this winter.

"It's been pretty busy the last couple of days," Rogers said on Monday. "As soon as the temperature plummets..."

Rogers said poor insulation is usually the cause of burst pipes in winter.

"One main thing is to make sure that they're well insulated, and to make sure there's no draft coming in from outside," said Rogers. "It'll freeze pretty quick."