45 Indians killed in fire in Kuwait 45 Indians killed in fire in Kuwait: What to do if house or building catches fire, these 6 precautions will save lives

9 hours agoAuthor: Sandeep Singh

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49 laborers have been killed and more than 50 injured in a fire in a 6-storey building in Mangaf, Kuwait. The dead included 45 Indian labourers.

A case similar to the Kuwait fire incident also came to light from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad last Wednesday night, where 5 people, including 2 children, of the same family were killed when a three-storey building caught fire.

Although the two incidents took place in different countries, initial investigations revealed that the Kuwait and Ghaziabad fires had one thing in common – an electrical ‘short circuit’.

During the summer months, the use of electronic devices like AC, coolers increases. In such a situation the power wiring gets hot and burns due to overloading.

So, today in Kamana news we will talk about how to protect yourself in case of fire. You will also know that-

• How to extinguish short circuit or gas cylinder fire?
• What mistakes should not be made in case of fire?

Expert: Ramraja Yadav, Chief Fire Officer, Badayon (Uttar Pradesh)

Q- How many people die every year due to fire in India?

Answer- According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) December 2023 report ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, 2022’, there were 7566 fire incidents in the country in the year 2022. Out of which 7435 people have died. While in 2020 there were 9329 fire accidents. Out of which 9110 people have died.

More than 50% of deaths in these incidents are due to fires in houses and buildings.

Question- What is the reason behind the increasing incidence of fire?

Answer: According to the Fire Safety Research Institute of Ireland, fires spread 8 times faster in homes built in the modern era than homes built 50 years ago. Modern furniture is also a big reason for this. Apart from this, these are some of the main causes of house fire.

Fire caused by LPG cylinder
About half of house fires start in the kitchen. Most house fires occur due to gas leakage from a domestic cylinder or forgetting to release the burning gas.

Electric short circuit
Another major cause of fire in a house or building is electric short-circuit as poor quality cables are unable to withstand sunlight in summer season. Apart from this, due to the increase in power supply load in summer, it overheats and breaks down quickly.

be careless

Many times, fires occur due to carelessness while smoking in the house. Objects like beds, sofas, furniture, curtains can catch fire from cigarettes or matches. Also leaving electronic devices like irons, heating rods etc. on can cause fire.

Question- If there is a fire in a house or building, what should be taken care of?

Answer: In the event of a fire in a house or building, the first thing to do is call 101 and report the incident to the fire brigade. Apart from this, you can also seek help by calling the emergency number 112.

Always remember to note down the correct address in a clear voice while talking to the fire brigade team on the phone. So that the team can reach your home or building for help as soon as possible.

Understand from the following graphic.

Question: If a house or building catches fire and someone is trapped inside, how can they be saved?

Answer- Normally the oxygen level in our atmosphere is 21%. When a fire breaks out in a house or building, the oxygen level starts to decrease. As oxygen levels drop, the trapped person begins to have trouble breathing.

When oxygen levels drop to 4-6%, death can occur within seconds.

Chief Fire Officer Ramaraja Yadav says that in case of fire, most people die due to suffocation rather than burns.

In such a situation, if a person is trapped in a house or building and is unable to get out, he can adopt these measures to escape.

• Don’t panic at all, be patient because in many cases of fire, a person dies from a heart attack or jumping from the roof.
• In case of fire, immediately switch off the electricity in the house from the main switch as exposure to electricity can be dangerous.
• Lock yourself in a room until outside help arrives.
• After this, try to prevent the smoke from entering the room.
• Do not attempt to escape by breaking windows and doors. Because of this, outside smoke can enter the room and cause suffocation.
• Do not attempt to climb onto the roof of a building as fire always travels upwards.

Understand from the graphic below what can be done in case of fire until outside help arrives.

Q- Why does the incidence of short circuit increase in summer?

Answer: Every electronic device or wiring has a capacity to withstand operating current, which on most devices is written in amperes. If the current flow exceeds the capacity by more than 1 ampere, the wiring will heat up and cause a short circuit.

Sometimes direct electrical connection also causes short circuit. In summer, due to the high temperature outside, the electric wiring gets hot. Even a spark in such a situation can cause a fire.

Question- What to do in case of fire due to short circuit?

Answer- If there is a fire in the house due to an electrical short circuit, these methods can be adopted.

• First of all switch off the electricity supply of the house, if the power supply is switched off then you will not be in danger of electrocution. Also other electronic devices can be prevented from being exposed to fire.
• Extinguish the fire with water only after ensuring that the power source is switched off.
• Cut off the oxygen source to prevent an electrical fire. That is, any blanket or heavy cloth can be placed on the fire. Note that this can only be done when the fire is low. If the fire is strong, do not try to go near the fire to put it out.

Q- What precautions should be taken in case of domestic gas leakage?

Answer: Chief Fire Officer Ramaraja Yadav says that when gas leakage is smelled, the first thing to do is to open the windows and doors of the house.

Also, one should avoid touching any electrical switch in the house. Turning an electric switch on or off causes micro sparking so leave it in the off position. A fire can occur due to the presence of gas in the home environment. After that, you won’t even get a chance to move immediately.

Follow these methods to extinguish a gas cylinder fire

• Wrap a heavy cloth such as a wet blanket or bed sheet over the gas cylinder. Due to which the supply of oxygen will stop.
• A cylinder fire can also be extinguished by adding sand.
• Never bend a gas cylinder when it is on fire. Also don’t make the mistake of pressing it into soil or something else.

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