The undisputed leader in the list of reasons for the occurrence of domestic, industrial or forest fires was and remains reckless handling of fire. Examples of frivolous behavior of this kind are met with frightening regularity. Sloppy smokers burn out forests and farm fields. Ignoring malfunctions in geysers leads to explosions of residential buildings. Games of children with sources of fire cause the death of both the babies themselves and their families.
Household fires
According to the annual statistics of the Ministry of Emergencies, the number of fires of this type consistently amounts to about 80% of the total number of uncontrolled fires. Careless handling of fire in everyday life is a fairly broad concept, which includes the following:
- Unsafe smoking. It represents the consumption of tobacco when intoxicated, in a state of illness or severe fatigue, and also next to flammable substances or objects made of flammable material. It can be paint, gas cylinders, aerosols, etc.
- Non-observance of safety rules when making fire on a land plot near a house, burning grass or dead wood (for example, in windy weather), burning garbage.
- Drying things over a gas stove, near a fireplace, on a heating stove and electrical appliances, using a hairdryer or heat gun.
In addition, open fire used to heat frozen pipes, heat flammable substances on the stove, and clean alcohol-containing or other combustible clothing liquids can cause a fire.
Operation of faulty furnaces and electrical appliances
Careless handling of fire is often associated with neglect of damage to radiators. This in most cases is observed in a socially disadvantaged environment, as well as in settlements that do not have gas heating. So, among the reasons leading to a fire, fire officials are:
- Operation of furnaces with cracked masonry or a defective chimney.
- Installation of improvised heating devices that do not meet the proper technical parameters.
- Uncontrollability of the heating furnace.
- Kindle it with combustible substances (gasoline, diesel fuel and others).
The causes of fires in residential buildings often lie in the use of powerful electric heaters. As a rule, such devices are connected to an old-style electrical network. Small cross-section wires cannot withstand the load and melt, resulting in a short circuit. And, as a result, a fire occurs.
Fires due to childish pranks
One of the eternal problems in the field of fire safety is childish pranks and careless handling of fire, examples of which make up a rather extensive list:
- Games with matches and combustibles. Quite often, the thirst for knowledge makes kids carry out various kinds of experiments with little-known objects and devices, which can lead to irreparable consequences.
- Use of electric heaters, gas and electric stoves. Often children left without parental supervision in a room where sources of fire are easily accessible include them in their games. The result may be a flashed curtain, a set fire to a notebook, an exploded can of condensed milk, etc.
- Burning dry leaves and poplar fluff. They are perhaps one of the most favorite seasonal entertainment for children. The presence of matches or lighters in a child’s pocket during poplar discharge of their seeds can lead to a fire in a residential building, parking lots on cars, benches, and other dire consequences. Ignition of grass in rural areas may well cause a fire with the death of people.
Industrial fires
Most often, fires in workshops and factories occur due to total non-compliance with labor safety rules. This happens, as a rule, due to the pseudo-economy of time. The master responsible for fire safety does not want to spend time on proper briefing, and the employee completely agrees with him. Obvious violations of fire safety rules include:
- Decreased wiring condition.
- Lack of proper response by employees to open fires.
- Faults in electrical equipment.
- Lack of adapters for voltage to imported devices.
- Leakage of explosive gases and media.
- Violation of the rules for conducting electric and gas welding, as well as metal cutting.
- Improper organization of the workspace and much more.
Most industrial fires occur due to a violation of the rules for operating electrical appliances. Careless handling of fire is the second factor in its prevalence.
Fires at the gas station
The ignition of oil vapor is usually accompanied by explosions and a bright flash. Despite the fact that diesel fuel burns slightly worse than gasoline, its destructive power is by no means less in its characteristics. The main cause of accidents at gas stations is a violation of safety regulations, which is the careless handling of fire. So, in conditions of volatile vapors scattered in the air, a fire can cause:
- Open flame (match, lighter, cigarette butt, crashed incandescent lamp).
- Flashed spark (repair work near the storage, emissions from the exhaust pipe, the use of faulty electrical equipment, etc.).
However, it is worth remembering that the first stage of the vast majority of fires at gas stations is the leakage of petroleum products, which occurs due to depressurization of the tanks, both for natural reasons and because of human faults.
Forest fires
According to the Ministry of Emergencies, the primary cause of this type of fire is almost always human. Forest fires (especially peat fires) are always a huge disaster: giant areas of the massif are destroyed, unique ecosystems, animals, birds and insects die. Together with smoke, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, as well as nitric oxide, are released into the atmosphere. According to the vast majority of experts, a large forest fire may well compete with the activities of several large industrial enterprises in the number of harmful combustion products.
Coniferous carpet with an admixture of dry fallen leaves, covering the forest, has amazing flammability. It ignites with almost the same ease as gunpowder. The main cause of forest fires since cigarettes gained popularity is an abandoned cigarette butt. However, quite often a simple bottle glass is enough to ignite, which is able to focus the sun's beam, as the lens does.
Causes of fires in the home
Fires due to careless handling of fire are always associated with frivolity and distraction of a person. Obviously, such incidents will never be completely avoided. However, it is quite possible to reduce the likelihood of a fire in everyday life. All that is needed is a simple consciousness, as well as a clear understanding of how much depends on each individual person in this matter. In addition to the fire factors already mentioned above , the cause of a fire in everyday life can be:
- Left unattended iron and other electrical appliances connected to the network.
- Ignoring safety rules when using firecrackers, sparklers, garlands, etc. fixtures of a festive theme.
- Using candles near curtains and other flammable decorative elements.
- Storage of paints and varnishes in the house (especially in a well-heated room, especially in the immediate vicinity of a heat source).
- Careless use of gasoline and acetone for cleaning fabrics.
The consequences of fires and their statistics
All types of fires primarily entail the death or injury of people. In addition, the destruction caused by them significantly affects both the victims themselves and the country's economy. The annual damage amounts to tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. Analytical data peremptorily indicates that the number of fires around the world is growing steadily and entails great material losses and loss of life.
The statistics today are as follows: more than half of the fires occur in residential premises (55%), about 10% - in production, the frequency of fire in warehouses is about 30%. As for the level of material damage, the greatest damage is in warehouses and storages (about 45%). In residential buildings, it is 30%. And 25% - in all others. Most people die in domestic fires (80%).
Prevention
So, in order to prevent a fire, you should remember a few simple rules:
- Sources of open fire should not be left unchecked (included heating appliances, stoves, fireplaces, bonfires, burning barbecues, etc.).
- The candle must be installed on a dense and completely non-combustible base, the width of which exceeds the length of the candle.
- Smoking in the house should only be in one place specially selected for this, equipping it with a glass or metal ashtray and cleaning it of everything that could easily ignite.
- In no case should you pour the ashtray into the bin immediately after smoking.
- If possible, a fire safety system should be installed in the house.
However, the most effective fire prevention, the cause of which is the careless handling of fire, is a clear understanding of the danger posed by uncontrolled flames. One unsuccessfully thrown cigarette butt, which fell on the balcony of a neighbor during the sowing of poplar fluff, can destroy several lives.