 By Chinedu Nwaneri
Fire has been a basic element for everyday living and comfort. Most people for different domestic activities ranging from cooking, keeping warm, frightening predator, and burning of waste, among other things utilize it. Quite remarkably, fire is said to have a tendency of man’s best friend turning his worst enemy, as improper handling and use of fire has led to several accidents in homes, offices, schools, and other public places with serious repercussions.
In Nigeria today, fire incidents have become a regular occurrence, and have claimed many lives, as well as destroyed properties worth millions of Naira. Hardly a day passes without news of fire outbreaks in some parts of the country. And fire outbreaks are high during harmattan season, thus making it imperative for households to be extra vigilant during the driest season.
The president of Fire Disaster Prevention and Safety Awareness Association of Nigeria, Badanga Ahmed Lamidi, as at September 2017, observed that incessant fire outbreaks had cost the national economy about N6 trillion in the last five years, with major cities like Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Owerri experiencing serious consequences of the scourge. Fire outbreak was also reported in Bridge Head market, Onitsha.
Unfortunately, it has been observed that most fire outbreaks are as a result of carelessness, and neglect of fire safety measures; therefore, it could be said that most fire incidents could have been prevented if certain safety measures were put in place.
Hence, it becomes imperative to refresh our minds on measures to prevent fire outbreaks and explosions:
Electrical gadgets:
Preventive measures include maintaining facilities in good condition to avoid overcharging, poor contact, and short circuits; avoiding the use of plugs and wires in poor conditions; and lowering the recommended gauge.
Consumers should never replace fuses or circuit breaker for direct connections with wires or currencies, and should not overload electrical outlets with multiple devices connected at the same time, because the wires become hot and can cause a fire.
One should never leave an electric iron on while doing something else, even for only a few minutes, as this has been frequently cited to cause fires.
Burnable gas fire
Gas cylinders must be handled with care to avoid falling, and should be stored in clean, well-ventilated areas. It should be protected from the rain, sun, and other heat sources. Domestic gas cylinders should not be kept together with the stove, but should be placed outside the home and connected to metal pipes.
If the gas is installed inside the house and a leak occurs, one should not strike a match.
When installing a new cylinder, use soapy water to test for leaks; but must remember that soap should not be used to seal leaks. When lighting a stove oven, strike the match first and then open the gas; if the house is unoccupied for an extended period, close the gas cock.
Fire incidence in the kitchen
Do not use plastic bags or towels in the kitchen. Avoid placing pieces of cloth or decorative paper near the stove.
Always put off appliances when not in use
For those who go to work, put off all appliances at home to avoid voltage surge that may follow when power is restored after an outage. The same applies for the office when leaving.
Do not overload electrical sockets
Avoid overloading electrical sockets or outlets to prevent sparks that may lead to fire.
Do not smoke at bedtime
This is for smokers. After a late night party or stressful day, it may be tempting to have a stick just before bed. With the possibility of dozing off, there is a tendency to toss the butt anywhere while it has half-lit. If that lands on the rug or mattress, the consequences can only be imagined.
Do not use phones in the kitchen
In this era of phone and social media, many people go into the kitchen with their phones. The temptations are many. For one, an incoming call may provide a distraction too costly. A story is told of a lady who received a call as she attempted to light the gas. While speaking on the phone, she forgot the cooker had been switched on. With a strike of the match, flames engulfed the whole building.
Fuel your generator before, not during a football match
With the many leagues being televised, many football fans will be watching many matches. For one, EEDC cannot be trusted. Any plans for a backup should factor in sufficiently fueling the generator. Doing so while the generator is on may be dangerous.
All generators should be kept in an open space for cross-ventilation and not in an enclosed environment.
Put off phones while in the filling stations
This is common amongst car owners. Receiving calls and making them in a highly inflammable environment like a petrol station is risky as mobile phones are emitters of small amount of charges that could explode in contact with petrol.
Do not be an emergency engineer or electrician
Avoid fixing electrical faults personally when you apparently do not have the skill. Violating the basic rule of aligning like charges can lead to a spark which may result in fire.
Get a Thunder Arrestor
Thunderstorm delivers a huge amount of electrical charge. The work of a thunder arrestor is to safely lead this current away from the building to the earth to avoid fire. Get one.
Keep the candle on a candle stand
We put candles and leave them beside curtains or clothes or even on tables made from wood. The candle may fall off or a nearby object may get burned.
Phones:
Avoid using mobile phones near gas cylinder or gas facilities to avoid spark. Source
https://orientdailynews.com.ng/news/fire-prevention-home/ Lalasticlala |
