Fire Hazard, Its Consequences and Possible Preventions

Hedayet Islam Shakil
Dept of Urban and Regional Planning

Jahangirnagar University

INTRODUCTION:

From the inception of human civilization, the role of fire is very significant and still in the modernized living its importance has not been reduced. As a source of energy, fire has various uses in our everyday living. Fire, if not manageable, can be disastrous for human settlements. Urban settlements of the world are more vulnerable to fire hazard due to the involvement of huge population in economic activities, industrial and other activities.

Urban fire incidence is alarmingly increasing all over Bangladesh particularly in larger urban centers. Due to rapid unplanned urbanization and the absence of adequate safety measures in the city system, All Cities are seriously facing this hazard at present.

A fire hazard is any situation in which there is a greater than normal risk of harm to people or Property due to fire. It can be defined as a hazardous area where fire will start or where smokes or gasses can be generated, or where an explosion can occur endangering the lives of people.

Fire hazards occur frequently in Bangladesh. Fire causes huge loss of lives and properties every year. Although termed as fire accident, most fire events are far from being accidental. Indeed, most fires are preventable. Industrial units, particularly garments industry, produce deadliest of the fires. For example, a fire broke out on 6 January 2005 on the fourth-floor of a building housing a factory in Narayanganj. It took fire fighters four hours to extinguish the blaze. Dozens of workers were injured as they desperately tried to escape down the narrow smoke-engulfed stairs. About 23 people died because they were unable to escape because many of the exits were blocked, and the fire extinguishers were not working.

Lack of proper precautionary measures along with the institutional inefficiency, insufficient equipment support and lack of public awareness are causing this situation more complex. Existing planning rules and laws are also insufficient to the present context our City. As most of the dwellers do not know how to use the firefighting equipment, in most cases all the precautionary measures for combating fire generally go into vein. Therefore, institutional reforms, strengthening of capacity at individual and institutional level are needed in order to reduce fire hazard risks.

Urban areas are characterized by intense human activities in production, transport, service provision etc., and in virtually all these activities the danger of a fire breaking out exists to varying degrees. The density of human settlements with all their pertinent structures abates the spread of fire the greater concentration of people and wealth means fires of similar intensity would risk more lives and property in a city than in a rural settlement.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDIES:

The ultimate goal of the study is to improve the overall fire hazard problem. However, there are some specific objectives to fulfill the goals. These are,

ü  Causes and consequence of Fire hazard

ü  To examine the preparedness for fighting in opposition to fire hazard.

Causes of fire hazard:

Natural:  Fires which are considered as natural are basically earthquake, volcanic eruption and lightning - generated fires. The fire and explosion risk associated with an earthquake is a very complex issue.  Compared with ordinary (normal) fires the fire and explosion hazard related to earthquakes can constitute a substantial and heavy risk. Damage to natural gas systems during an earthquake is a major cause of large fires. Again probably the most   significant direct impact of power systems on fire following an earthquake is that electric power is a major fire ignition source. In addition to dropped distribution lines power circuits in damaged houses are another major ignition source. There have been cases where as many as two-thirds of all ignitions after an earthquake has been attributable to power system.

Manmade: Fire caused by human/machine errors are considered as manmade fires, e.g. industrial or chemical fire disasters, fires at social gatherings  due to Electrical  short circuit fires, accidental fire and kitchen-fires.  Rural and urban residential and non- residential structural fires are also largely manmade fires. Any confined fire could be due to many reasons like, cooking fire confined  to  container, chimney  or  fuel  fire confined  to chimney, incinerator  overload  or  malfunction, fuel  burner / boiler malfunction, and trash fire.

Causes of Fire

Overall Causes include:

·         Cooking/heating equipment

·         Intentional

·         Electrical

·         Open flame or ember

·         Appliance, tool or air conditioning

·         Child playing

·         Other heat source

·         Natural causes:

Ø  earthquake,

Ø  volcanic eruption

Ø  lightening

·         Other equipment

·         Smoking material

·         Fireworks

Consequences of Fire Hazard

Most fire deaths are not caused by burns, but by smoke inhalation. Often smoke incapacitates so quickly that people are overcome and can’t make it to an otherwise accessible exit. The synthetic materials commonplace in today’s homes produces especially dangerous substances. As a fire grows inside a building, it will often consume most of the available oxygen, slowing the burning process. This “incomplete combustion” results in toxic gases.

When wood, household garbage, plastic or leaves are burned, they produce smoke and release toxic gases. The smoke contains vapors and solid compounds suspended in the air. When exposed to fire-related air pollutants, eye and nose irritation along with breathing difficulty, coughing, and headaches. People with heart disease, asthma, emphysema, or other respiratory diseases are especially sensitive to these air pollutants.

Oxygen level impacts during fire hazard:

When oxygen(O2) levels are at...	... a person experiences:
21 percent (Remain at Normal atmosphere)	Normal outside air
17 percent	Impaired judgment and coordination
12 percent	Headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue
9 percent	Unconsciousness
6 percent	Respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, death

Structural Damage : Collapse or damage  roof, missing or burnt roof shingles, damaged gutters, Cracks or damaged chimney, stained exterior surfaces, burnt bricks or exterior walls, basement of the building.

Personal Belongings Damage

•               Appliances

•               Furniture

•               Carpets and upholstery

•               Paper products, documents

•               Digital media or archives: CDs, DVDs, computers and hard drives.

Fire Hazards as an Immerging Issue for Dhaka City:

Soon after the liberation war, Dhaka City faced a rapid boom of urbanization. The city not only expanded in terms of physical dimension but also population and structural density increased very rapidly. The level of urbanization in Dhaka was 29.56 in 1974 which increased to 61.48 in 2001 (Rouf and Jahan, 2007). The development trend of the city took place in a haphazard and unplanned manner with little or no attention to the issue of land use and structural planning which leads to increase occurrence of fire hazard nowadays. Increase in population has a subsequent linkage with more frequent urban conflagrations. During 1995 to 1998, the reported fire incidences within Dhaka City were respectively 657, 707, 706 and 670 (BFSCDA, 1991). In the last seven years (2001 to 2007), the number of incidence has notably increased (Figure 1). Although other forms of hazards, like cyclone and floods, have overshadowed threat from fire hazard, fires do cause considerable damages of the country. Official records from the BFSCDA show that the material damage due to fire in the greater Dhaka district (Dhaka, Narayangonj, Manikganj, Narsingdi and Munshiganj) alone was to the tune of Tk. 384.59 million.

   (Maniruzaman and Haque, 2007).

At a glance Fire hazard statistics in Bangladesh (01/01/13 to 26/10/13)

Number of  Occurrence fire hazard	Fire Hazard in Multi storied Building	Fire Hazard in RMG factory	Economic Losses	Compensation of losses	Loss of life	IN juried	FSCD Department Worker
6352	74	48	323,85,87,062 TK	1783,66,52,000 TK	57	151	Death 01 Injured 39

·         Source: Bangladesh Fire Services and Civil Defense 

Prevention

There are two types of fire disasters. They are domestic and wild fires. Fires can be triggered or exacerbated by lightning, high winds, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and deliberate setting of fire by human beings. Lightning is the most significant natural contributor to fires affecting the building environment. Buildings with rooftop storage tanks for flammable liquids are particularly susceptible.

To protect own, it is important to understand the basic characteristics of fire. Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire   can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames. Heat and smoke from fire can be more dangerous than the flames. Inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs. Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.

Management

Before a Fire (mostly for developed countries)

Fig: Emergency Preparedness Model

Smoke Alarms

•   Install   smoke   alarms.   Properly   working   smoke   alarms decrease your chances of dying in a fire by half.

•   Place smoke alarms on every level of your residence. Place them outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall (4 to 12 inches from ceiling), at the top of open stairways, or at the bottom of enclosed stairs and near (but not in) the kitchen.

•   Test and clean smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms once every 10 years.

•   Have record of fire brigades telephone in safe and accessible to member of the family.

•   Making aware the people about care (prevention), escape mechanisms.

 Escaping the Fire

·         Review escape routes with your family. Practice escaping from each room.

·         Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut. Make sure security  gratings  on  windows  have  a  fire  safety  opening feature so they can be easily opened from the inside.

·         Consider escape ladders if your residence has more than one level,  and  ensure  that  burglar  bars  and  other  antitheft mechanisms  that  block  outside  window  entry  are  easily opened from the inside.

·         Teach family members to stay low to the floor (where the air is safer in a fire) when escaping from a fire.

·         Clean out storage areas. Do not let trash, such as old newspapers, magazines, other materials and equipment’s accumulation.

With regards to Flammable Items

ü  Never use gasoline, benzene, naphtha, or similar flammable liquids indoors.

ü  Store flammable liquids in approved containers in well-ventilated storage areas.

ü  Never smoke near flammable liquids.

ü  Discard  all  rags  or  materials  that  have  been  soaked  in flammable liquids after you have used them. Safely discard them outdoors in a metal container.

ü  Insulate chimneys and place spark arresters on top. The chimney should be at least three feet higher than the roof. Remove branches hanging above and around the chimney.

With regards to Heating Sources

Ø  Be careful when using alternative heating sources.

Ø  Place heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials. Make sure the floor and nearby walls are properly insulated.

Ø  Use only the type of fuel designated for your unit and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Ø  Store ashes in a metal container outside and away from your residence.

Ø  Keep open flames away from walls, furniture, drapery, and flammable items.

Ø  Keep a screen in front of the fireplace.

Ø  Have heating units inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist.

With regards to Matches and Smoking

v  Keep matches and lighters up high, away from children, and, if possible, in a locked cabinet.

v  Never smoke in bed or when drowsy or medicated. Provide smokers with deep, sturdy ashtrays. Douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before disposal

With regards to Electrical Wiring

ü  Have the electrical wiring in your residence checked by an electrician.

ü  Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose plugs.

ü  Make sure outlets have cover plates and no exposed wiring.

ü  Make sure wiring does not run under rugs, over nails, or across high-traffic areas.

ü  Do not overload extension cords or outlets. If you need to plug in two or three appliances, get a UL-approved unit with built-in circuit breakers to prevent sparks and short circuits.

ü  Make sure insulation does not touch bare electrical wiring.

Other Precautions

•   Sleep with your door closed.

•   Install fire extinguishers in your residence and teach family members how to use them.

•   Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your residence.

•   Ask your local fire department to inspect your residence for fire safety and prevention.

•   Make buildings accessible to water source

During a Fire:

If your clothes catch on fire, you should:

•   Stop, drop, and roll - until the fire is extinguished. Running only makes the fire burn faster.

To escape a fire:

•   Check closed doors for heat before open it. If escaping through a closed door, uses the back of hand to feel the top of the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the door and door frame before open it. Never use the palm of hands or fingers to test for heat –burning those areas could impair your ability to escape a fire (i.e., ladders and crawling).

•   Crawl low under any smoke to exit - heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.

•   Close doors behind you as you escape to delay the spread of the fire.

•   Stay out once you are safely out. Do not reenter.

After a Fire

•   If you are with burn victims, or are a burn victim yourself, cool and cover burns to reduce chance of further injury or infection.

•   If you detect heat or smoke when entering a damaged building, evacuate immediately.

•   If you are a tenant, contact the landlord.

•   If you have a safe or strong box, do not try to open it. It can hold intense heat for several hours. If the door is opened before the box has cooled, the contents could burst into flames.

•   If you must leave your home because a building inspector says the building is unsafe, ask someone you trust to watch the property during your absence.

Wildfires:

Wild land fires are classified into three categories:

ü  A surface fire: is the common type and burns along the floor of a forest, moving slowly and killing or damaging the trees;

ü  A ground fire: is usually started by lightning and burns on or below the forest floor;

ü  A crown fire: spreads rapidly by winds and moves quickly by jumping along the top of trees.

ü  wild land fires are usually signaled  by  dense  smoke  that  fills  the  area  for  miles around.

If  heavy  rains  follow  a  fire,  other  natural  disasters  can  occur, including landslides, mudflows, and floods. Once ground cover has been burned away, little is left to hold soil in place on steep slopes and hillsides. If the wild land fire destroyed the ground cover, then erosion becomes one of several potential problems.

Protective Measures

Before a Wildfire to prepare for wildfires, you should:

·         Mark the entrance to your property with address signs that are clearly visible from the road.

·         Keep lawns trimmed, leaves raked, and the roof and rain gutters free from debris such as dead limbs and leaves.

·         Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from your residence.

·         Store flammable materials, liquids, and solvents in metal containers outside your residence at least 30 feet away from structures and wooden fences.

·         Create defensible space by thinning trees and brush within 30 feet around your residence. Beyond 30 feet, remove dead wood, debris, and low tree branches.

·         Landscape  your  property  with  fire  resistant  plants  and vegetation  to  prevent  fire  from  spreading  quickly.  For example, hardwood trees are more fire-resistant than pine, evergreen, eucalyptus, or fir trees.

·         Make  sure  water  sources,  such  as  hydrants,  ponds, swimming  pools,  and  wells,  are  accessible  to  the  fire department.

·         Use fire resistant, protective roofing and materials like stone, brick, and metal to protect your residence. Avoid using wood materials.

·         Cover all exterior vents, attics, and eaves with metal mesh screens to prevent debris from collecting and to help keep sparks out.

·         Install multi-pane windows, tempered safety glass, or fireproof shutters to protect large windows from radiant heat. Use fire-resistant draperies for added window protection.

·         Have chimneys, wood stoves, and all home heating systems inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist. Insulate chimneys and place spark arresters on top. The chimney should be at least 3 feet above the roof.

·         Remove branches hanging above and around the chimney.

Follow Local Burning Laws

ü  Before burning debris in a wooded area, make sure you notify local authorities, obtain a burning permit, and follow these guidelines:

ü  Use an approved incinerator with a safety lid or covering with holes no larger than 3/4 inch.

ü  Create at least a 10-foot clearing around the incinerator before burning debris.

ü  Have a fire extinguisher or garden hose on hand when burning debris.

During a Wildfire:

If a wildfire threatens your home and time permits, take the following precautions:

ü  Shut off gas at the meter. Only a qualified professional can safely turn the gas back on.

ü  Turn off propane tanks.

ü  Place combustible patio furniture inside.

ü  Connect garden hose to outside taps. Place lawn sprinklers on the roof and near above-ground fuel tanks. Wet the roof. Wet or remove shrubs within 15 feet of your residence.

ü  Gather fire tools such as a rake, axe, handsaw or chainsaw, bucket, and shovel.

ü  Back your car into the garage or park it in an open space facing the direction of escape.

ü  Shut doors and roll up windows. Leave the key in the ignition and the car doors unlocked. Close garage windows and doors but leave them unlocked Disconnect automatic garage door openers.

ü  Open fireplace damper. Close fireplace screens.

ü  Close windows, vents, doors, blinds or noncombustible window coverings, and heavy drapes. Remove flammable drapes and curtains.

ü  Move flammable furniture into the center of the residence away from windows and sliding-glass doors.

ü  Close all interior doors and windows to prevent drafts.

ü  Place valuables that will not be damaged by water in a pool or pond.

If advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Choose a route away from the fire hazard. Watch for changes in the speed and direction of the fire and smoke.

Risk of Morbidity and Mortality

Morbidity and mortality associated with wildfires include burns, inhalation injuries, respiratory complications, and stress-related cardiovascular events (exhaustion and myocardial infarction from fighting or fleeing the fire).

Public Health Interventions

More than four out of every five wildfires are started by people. Negligent human behaviors, such as smoking in forested areas or improperly extinguishing campfires, are the causes of many forest fires. Another cause of forest fires is lightning. Prevention efforts include working with the fire service to educate people to:

ü  Build fires away from nearby trees or bushes,

ü  Be prepared to extinguish fire quickly and completely.

ü  Never leave a fire—even a burning cigarette—unattended.

ü  Encourage the development of a family wildfire evacuation

ü  Plan if the area in your community is at risk for wildfire.

Conclusions

A Fire Risk Index, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, was developed to understand the current fire safety status in every sector in Bangladesh, which is known to be vulnerable to fire accidents. Emphasis was on the day-to-day fire safety management related parameters, which we call soft parameters here, instead of structural parameters of fire safety/risk analysis. Although in recent years, there have been significant efforts to improve the structural elements of fire safety; there still is a large scope to improve the fire safety, especially with regard to the soft measures. By avoiding the announcement bias through surprise visits to the factories, we found clear evidence that on-site fire safety situation is substantially different than the certified situations. It is therefore important that the enforcement and regulatory certification processes are further strengthened. Especially, measures must be taken to ensure that the regulatory inspections contain an element of surprise in order to reveal the safety risk associated with management practices.

Reference

Ø  Islam. M.M. and Adri. N. 2008. “Fire Hazard Management of Dhaka City: Addressing Issues Relating to Institutional Capacity and Public Perception”, Jahangimagar Planning Review, Department of Urban & Planning, Savar, Dhaka, Vol.6, pp.57- 68

Ø  BBS. 2007. Bangladesh Population Census 2001: Community series, Zila Dhaka, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Planning,Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka.

Ø  BFSCDA. 2011. BFSCDA, Annual Report 2010. Published by Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, Dhaka.

Ø  BNBC. 1993. Bangladesh National Building Code, Housing and Building Research Institute and Bangladesh Standard & Testing Institution, Dhaka.

Ø  Fire service and civil defense. 2006. ‘Annual Training guide (Fire Extinguish)’, Fire services and civil defense department, Dhaka.

Ø  Fire service and civil defense week. 2010. ‘Agni Protirakkha”, Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, year. 10, No.l

Ø  FPRA. 2003. Fire Protection and Resistance Act, Kamrul Publication, Dhaka

Ø  Maniruzaman K. M. and Haque, Q. M. F. 2007. ‘Fire Hazard in Dhaka City: A Case Study of the Service Area of Mohammadpur Fire Station’, in S. Jahan, and K. M. Maniruzzaman (ed.) Urbanization in BangladeshPatterns, Issues and Approaches to Planning. Dhaka: Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP).

Ø  Sena Lelisa and Michael Kifle, 2006 .“Disaster Prevention and Prepardeness” Jimma University retrieved from      http://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/health/ephti/library/lecture_notes/health_extension_trainees/DisasterPreventionPreparedness.pdf  [Accessed  on 31 may, 2014]

Ø  State of California November, 2003. “FIRE HAZARD PLANNING: General Plan Technical Advice Series Governor’s Office of Planning and Research “ retrieved from http://cdm16254.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p178601ccp2/id/494/filename/495.pdf  [Accessed on 31 may, 2014]

Ø  Retrieved from  http://www.nfpa.org/press-room/reporters-guide-to-fire-and-nfpa/consequences-of-fire [Accessed on 03 Jun, 2014]

Ø  Retrieved from  http://www.whatprice.co.uk/household/fire-damage.html  [Accessed on 03 Jun, 2014]