People who live in apartments or residential buildings need to stay aware about the causes and preventive measures of fire hazards. The residents of condominiums, or apartment buildings should be familiar with the fire safety elements and collaborate with their neighbours to evacuate the building in the event of a fire. Stay with us to know how to minimise the risk of fire in apartments and what to do if any fire hazard occurs.
Common Causes of Fire Hazard in Apartment and Residential Buildings
The most frequent causes of home fires, the damage they inflict, and how to avoid them are listed below.
Cooking
Cooking or kitchen fires are by far the most common cause of house fires, accounting for 48 percent of all residential fires recorded. Among diverse types of kitchen fire, grease fires are generally the most dangerous. When the temperature of your frying oil rises over 375 degrees Fahrenheit, it will begin to smoke and ultimately explode into flames.
Heating
House fires and home fire injuries are caused by portable heaters, which are the second biggest cause of home fires and injuries. They are responsible for a large number of fires since many homes do not adhere to the space requirements for these things. Heaters come with detailed guidelines on how near they may be to other items, furniture, or walls on the box or label.
Electrical Fires
A substantial percentage of home fires are caused by defective wiring or malfunctioning electrical outlets. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, electrical fires cause more than 51,000 dwelling fires and over 500 fatalities each year.
Smoking
For a variety of reasons, smoking materials such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipes are one of the major causes of mortality in house fires, although accounting for just 5% of all home fires. Smoking materials that have been lit inside are tiny and easy to overlook.
Ways to Prevent Fire Hazard in Apartment and Residential Buildings
You may be familiar with fire safety advice for houses, but living in an apartment building poses a unique set of problems that you should be aware of, particularly if you reside on a high level. Follow the procedures below to help safeguard and prepare yourself in the case of an emergency in your apartment building:
– To keep appliances safe, use surge protectors.
– Circuits should not be overloaded.
– Frayed or fractured cables should not be used.
– Cords should not be routed beneath carpets or between rooms.
– A portable space heater should never be left alone.
– Make sure youngsters can’t get their hands-on matches or lighters.
– Keep combustible materials out of your residence.
– Candles should never be left unattended.
– If you’re cooking anything, don’t leave it on the burner unattended.
What to Do If an Accident Occurs in an Apartment or Residential Building?
The jarring and terrifying sound of the building’s fire alarm may be particularly traumatic for persons who live in multi-family dwellings such as flats or condos. You may not know whether there is a real fire in the building or if your neighbour just toasted some bread and forgot to close the front door after they finished eating it. Regardless of the situation, it is critical to take every alert seriously and initiate your escape plan as soon as possible. Here are a few tips to follow:
Not to Panic
Frequently, panic makes matters worse. The sight of a fire in your house might be terrifying but maintain your composure while you respond.
Don’t Attempt to Extinguish a Large Fire
Some people’s first reaction to a fire is to attempt to extinguish it. Not always is this the right course of action. If the fire is sufficiently huge or is caused by a kind of grease, splashing water on it may actually encourage it to grow and become more explosive. Use common judgement and a fire extinguisher if feasible.
Items Left Behind
It is usually tempting to attempt to locate essential stuff, such as laptops and mobile phones, to bring with you. However, this may waste valuable time, and although items can be replaced, you cannot. Ensure that everyone in the unit exits as quickly as possible.
Contacting Emergency Services
Once everyone has reached a safe distance from the apartment and is away from any vegetation that may catch fire, dial 911. Maintain composure and clarity on the phone, so they can rapidly get your information and respond to the fire.
How to Stop Fire in Apartment or Residential Building
A fire that breaks out in an apartment building may not only affect one family; rather a fire hazard can drive many families out of their homes and cause damage to their belongings. By adhering to a few tried-and-true methods of fire prevention, you can significantly lower the likelihood of a fire occurring.
– Clean the dryer lint screens before each usage by notices that should be posted outside the unit.
– Install dryer vents that go directly outside the building and are connected to the buildings outside.
– When necessary, clean the motors of the washer and dryer to prevent the buildup of grease and lint.
– It is essential that the gas vents for dryers and water heaters be kept in good working order and that they go directly outside the building.
– Never smoke in bed
– Never keep flammable liquids or combustible materials next to heat-producing equipment such as furnaces, water heaters, or other similar appliances.
– Keep the caps securely fastened on flammable substances, and keep them outside the premises if at all feasible.
– Make sure the candles are in secure holders and that they are not in a location where they may be easily knocked over.
– Never go outside when the candles are still burning.
– Halogen lights should be kept far clear of any drapery or other hanging materials.
– Maintain in good working order all of the electrical and mechanical equipment.
– Annual cleaning of the chimney, as well as maintenance of the fireplace and usage of fire screens
– Lock up matches and lighters, and keep them out of the reach of youngsters.
Conclusion
Fire accidents might result in serious injuries. Not to mention the destruction of fire can damage your home and properties. So it would be wise to stay aware and act before the accident takes place.
So far, we have discussed some effective ways to prevent fire hazards in residential buildings and apartments. These steps can make sure that your home and family members are safe from the risks of fire hazards.
However, there is always a danger since fires may sometimes break out even when you do everything perfectly; but still you should put your effort to minimise the risk. Your family will be safer than they have ever been if you take precautions.
Source: United News of Bangladesh