Combating fire incidents

Common people, particularly students, should be trained firefighting techniques

It is extremely worrying to note that around 500 shanties in Karail Slum in the capital were completely destroyed in a devastating fire that broke out Sunday afternoon. According to a report in this newspaper yesterday, the fire might have originated from an electric short circuit or a burning cigarette at a cotton shop of the slum at Boubazar area of Mohakhali around 2:50 pm. Slum fires in the past caused huge losses including deaths in the past. Fortunately no person died in the blaze unlike a number of mortalities in such incidents in the past.   
 Fires destroy property and valuables worth millions of taka in the country every year. Most of the fire incidents occur during the dry season.  Fire originates mainly from kitchens, burning cigarette stubs and due to electric short circuit.  Besides, criminals also set fire to slums with malicious intentions. After the catastrophic fire in the Nimtali area of Old Dhaka on June 3, 2010 that killed 124 people the relevant authorities swung into action but that was short-lived. The follow-up programmes did not see the light of day. It is very unfortunate. In the past few years a number of slums in the capital were destroyed in the fires. The origins of some of the fires remained mysterious. The miseries of the poor homeless people knew no bounds.    
It is the responsibility of the government, particularly the fire service and civil defence department, to identify the causes of the fires. The victims of the fire incidents should be adequately compensated.  What is needed is to keep the firemen always busy. In the past, rehearsals for fighting fires used to be seen in the capital city, both at residential areas and office areas but these days those are hardly seen. The authorities concerned should arrange for regular training and firefighting drills for the firemen on a regular basis. There is no alternative to training and exercise for the development of skills and confidence.    
More fire service stations should be set up to meet the emergency situations. The narrow roads and lanes choked with traffic make it difficult for the firemen to reach the spots timely and douse the flames.  Besides, absence of water impedes extinguishing the fire. It would not be wise to rely on the firemen always for extinguishing fire. Common people, particularly students, should learn the tactics of   dousing fires. Students can learn the skills of fighting fires from the firefighting units of different fire stations. Generation of public awareness about fire precaution and fire extinguishing is also needed. 

 

Combating fire incidents

Common people, particularly students, should be trained firefighting techniques

It is extremely worrying to note that around 500 shanties in Karail Slum in the capital were completely destroyed in a devastating fire that broke out Sunday afternoon. According to a report in this newspaper yesterday, the fire might have originated from an electric short circuit or a burning cigarette at a cotton shop of the slum at Boubazar area of Mohakhali around 2:50 pm. Slum fires in the past caused huge losses including deaths in the past. Fortunately no person died in the blaze unlike a number of mortalities in such incidents in the past. Fires destroy property and valuables worth millions of taka in the country every year. Most of the fire incidents occur during the dry season. Fire originates mainly from kitchens, burning cigarette stubs and due to electric short circuit. Besides, criminals also set fire to slums with malicious intentions. After the catastrophic fire in the Nimtali area of Old Dhaka on June 3, 2010 that killed 124 people the relevant authorities swung into action but that was short-lived. The follow-up programmes did not see the light of day. It is very unfortunate. In the past few years a number of slums in the capital were destroyed in the fires. The origins of some of the fires remained mysterious. The miseries of the poor homeless people knew no bounds. It is the responsibility of the government, particularly the fire service and civil defence department, to identify the causes of the fires. The victims of the fire incidents should be adequately compensated. What is needed is to keep the firemen always busy. In the past, rehearsals for fighting fires used to be seen in the capital city, both at residential areas and office areas but these days those are hardly seen. The authorities concerned should arrange for regular training and firefighting drills for the firemen on a regular basis. There is no alternative to training and exercise for the development of skills and confidence. More fire service stations should be set up to meet the emergency situations. The narrow roads and lanes choked with traffic make it difficult for the firemen to reach the spots timely and douse the flames. Besides, absence of water impedes extinguishing the fire. It would not be wise to rely on the firemen always for extinguishing fire. Common people, particularly students, should learn the tactics of dousing fires. Students can learn the skills of fighting fires from the firefighting units of different fire stations. Generation of public awareness about fire precaution and fire extinguishing is also needed.