Dubai
In August, a massive fire broke out in the 87-storey Torch Tower in Dubai Marina. Many other fires have been reported around the country in the past few years. So, I decided to walk around my residential building to find out the possible causes of fires in our buildings and neighbourhoods. The scenes I witnessed filled me with astonishment.
I found the emergency exits to be blocked with unwanted, rarely used items such as furniture, gym equipment and bicycles. In a fire, people are supposed to use the stairs and not elevators. But, when I walked down the staircase, I found the storage of combustible materials.
The electrical room in my building has not been cleaned for years, resulting in accumulation of thick layers of dust. The room has been converted into a storage area. The fire extinguishers hung in the corridors are covered with advertisments, masking the instructions on how to use them.
I observed certain things at home, too. We try to make multiple connections in a single plug point, exceeding its electrical capacity. The extension chords are also kept close to carpets, curtains and bins with paper, making them a hazard. Laptops are left unattended on beds. There are no fire alarms in our bedrooms.
When cooking, the vessels are overheated and the appliances were not turned off after use. The longer we keep them on, the more heat is generated. We leave our homes for an outing or holidays without ensuring that all electronic items are switched off.
At petrol stations, I have observed motorists failing to switch off their vehicles’ engines and using their mobile phones. Smokers discard cigarette butts everywhere.
Naveen Ramnani, a Dubai-resident, said, “If each of us takes care of our surroundings, then there will be no fire hazards.”
Percy Fernandes, another Dubai-resident, said: “Fire blankets should be made available in all supermarkets, so that the residents can keep one handy in their kitchens.”
The authorities and Civil Defence are working hard to make our lives better, but we should also shoulder some responsibility in the community. We need not wait for the firefighters to risk their lives, if only we remember to pay attention to little things. This means that great responsibility is placed on building owners, contractors, engineers, consultants, community members and even tenants, in case of fire.
We can urge building owners to take safety measures, such as installing smoke detectors inside apartments and not just in corridors. They could carry out frequent fire drills. They could also maintain and clean the electrical rooms periodically with proper records.
Security guards in buildings should be trained to use fire extinguishers. The companies placing advertisements on the fire extinguishers should be imposed with fines.
We can keep our homes organised. Avoid piling up books in corners and ensure all appliances are switched off when not in use. Let us prepare to prevent fires in and around our locality.
— The reader is a student based in Dubai.
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FACTS:
According to the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, issued by the Ministry of Interior, the entrance to every exit on every floor of a building needs to be clearly indicated by an exit sign placed over the exit door. Additionally, all emergency routes should also require illumination and emergency lighting should be provided in case of failure of normal lighting. Blocking an emergency exit is also against the law and carries a fine. Fire safety violation fines range from Dh1,000 to Dh50,000, depending on the severity of the violation.
