Written by Felix Obani
Fire outbreaks and disasters are caused by many factors, some of which can be blamed on ourselves and others are beyond our control.
Simply put, fire requires fuel, oxygen and heat to burn. These three form what is called the Fire Triangle also known as or combustion triangles or ″fire diamond″.
Wildfires are classified by the
Environmental Protection Agency as natural disasters . However, only
10-15 percent of them happen on their own in nature. Most wildfires are caused by humans, and the most common causes are unattended camp and debris fires,
discarded cigarettes, and arson.
A good knowledge of fire, its characteristics and behaviour will enable one to identify any possible fire risks in our homes and enhance our abilities to prepare and to prevent them from occurring and spreading.
Fire in its most common form can result in an inferno, which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. The negative effects of fire include hazard to life and property, atmospheric pollution, and water contamination.
Fire has been used by humans since time immemorial. It has been used in rituals, in agriculture for clearing land, for cooking, generating heat and light, for signaling, propulsion purposes, smelting, forging, incineration of waste, cremation, and as a weapon or mode of destruction.
Fire disaster poses a great threats to human lives because it kills, destroy properties dash and possibly can end ones future.
Baring this in mind, individuals and corporate bodies should wear the garment of carefulness.
However, it is important to remind every household, individuals and organisations to treat all wires as live wire according to experts.
Significantly, handling of inflammable objects, cooking gas, electrical appliances, petrol and other harmful objects which can trigger fire should be the watchword for all and sundry.
Sadly, most causes of fire incidents across Nigeria could not be traced. But no matter what, someone must take responsibility of every action.
Without mincing words, both federal and state governments have a lot to do in handling fire out breaks in the country especially in markets and other public places. However, the level of damages experienced could be traced to non availability of fire control stations close to populated areas. Most places, when you see one fire station, they lack equipment to intervene during emergency including fire extinguisher in homes and public offices.
At this juncture, the federal and state governments should establish through budgeting more fire control stations in major cities. Meanwhile, states like Abia in collaboration with the local governments should built fire control stations in all the seventeen local governments to save more lives, properties and less the vaccum of unemployment created by fire incidents.
In addition, the private sectors and well to do individuals can also assist government in providing some of the equipment needed to control fire incident. If good arrangements are made, two or three organisations, as well as two or three individuals can come together to execute such projects.
Abia since the beginning of dry season in 2021 and 2022 still counting has recorded at least 72 fire outbreaks. Painfully, no one can give account of the fire incidents that are happening in the remote areas.
Considering the threats, the way forward to salvage the situation suggests that it is imperative for Abia state government to provide more boreholes in Aba, Umuahia, including other major centres, employ more hands, provide more office accommodations, generators, hazard/uniform/shift allowances.
If this is done without sentiments, bias, nepotism, and corruption, the fire service workers will do better, save more lives in danger and properties as well.
According to Woodrow Wilson, it pays to plan ahead and it was not raining when Noah built the Ark.
