Imlisanen Jamir
Two major fires which occurred in the State capital over the course of last week are reminders of how our apathetic attitude to fire safety standards poses danger.
In particular, electrical short circuits are the most common cause of accidental fires in domestic, commercial and industrial buildings. A look at reports from the Fire and Emergency Services show that short circuits are the causes in most cases here.
These are accidents which could have been avoided had people been more careful. Electricity is a safe source of energy when we treat it with respect. If we do not, that is when problems arise. Many of us are not aware that most accidental fires in buildings can be prevented if a few precautions are taken when wiring a building for electricity.
Short circuits occur during overloading or when two bare wires touch. A circuit is said to be overloaded when too much current flows causing heat buildup or wiring to break down. This can lead to sparks and fire. A short circuit could even be cause by a single bulb for any number of other reasons.
The lessons come down to these important points. First, an electric circuit must have a protective system. Second, the load at any point of the circuit must never exceed a safe limit. Third, the wires, the switches, protective devices etc must be of good quality. Fourth, there should be no loose contacts in the circuit. Fifth, no live wires, switches, sockets etc with poor insulation should come in contact with any conducting material connected to the ground. Sixth, all metal parts of buildings should be earthed. Seventh, all buildings must be fitted with lightning arresters.
The standard practice is for safety inspectors to check that electrical systems are in compliance with the building and electrical codes when a building is under construction. But such inspections rarely occur in this part of the world.
Meanwhile, there are also scores of structures where deteriorated electrical systems from decades of wear and tear pose major fire hazards. To compound the problems is the complete lack of town planning over the decades in the State’s urban centers.
These factors form a tinderbox full of hazards.
We should remember that precautions cost very little but negligence can cost a fortune. The probability of fires caused by electrical short circuits in buildings can be significantly reduced if the simple safety standards are strictly followed.
Comments can be sent to imlisanenjamir@gmail.com
