Fire and the Built Environment - Essay Example

Running Head: FIRE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Fire and the Built Environment 341451 Fire and the Built Environment Abstract This paper studies fire accidents, their possible causes as well as the potential dangers the fire accidents poses. It explores some four incidents of fire explosions in Britain: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The paper looks at the possible causes of these accidents, how the fires spread, the situation of the buildings, if the building and their respective environment had any safety measures, what precaution measures the people involved undertook as well as the aftermath of the accidents. The paper also examines the necessary fire safety and precaution measures which are universally accepted, the standard codes and education. It also seeks to create awareness to the public regarding the laws, regulations and various behavior modes found in the building and the environment around. The paper further helps in enhancing the knowledge as well as necessary skills of the researcher in solving problems, analysis of data and information, working as a team and establishing independent working mind. Introduction Since time immemorial, fire has been causing several accidents though fire explosions. Sometimes, they are quite horrible as well as devastating. Fire accidents have been causing a lot of damage to property as well as several loses of peoples lives. In several incidences, fire accidents have been leading to loss of millions assets and even affect the countries economy. In spite of the dangers posed by fire accidents, fire has been so crucial to human being life and hence can not be avoided. Fire is essential in cooking, domestic uses and even for leisure. Most fire accidents occur as a result of human carelessness as well as natural disasters. Although most of the fire accidents starts as small mistakes by different people, the fire spreads out quickly as a result of lack of the most appropriate preventive measures which can be employed in containing the situation(Fire Precautions, 2008). There is therefore the need to educate as well as find the best approaches of dealing with fire. There is also the need of use of the best measures to avoid much damage in case the fire occurs. Ignorance to understand these measures as well as the necessary experience, as witnessed in several cases that fire have happened and caused damages, are the major concern which the fire prevention departments need to explore further. Safety Measures and Precautions The safety measures and precautions needed in buildings and their environment are usually referred to as fire safety. They are employed to help prevent or if possible reduce the potential damage that can be caused by the fire to almost zero. These safety measures are even useful in avoiding the destructions of the buildings as well as avoiding death of the occupants (Inglis,1987). The fire safety measures, if well adhered to assist the building occupants in getting alert in case a fire breaks out in the building as well as in the environment within. Through these alerts and the necessary awareness, the people around the building would be able to apply the available and necessary measures to help combat the fire out break hence reduce the [potential damage that the fire can cause. With well placed fire safety equipment and well labeled signs, then the people around, even those who are not conversant with the use of these equipments can assist in preventing the spread of the fire. Those threaten by the fire, with the equipment and necessary awareness can even save themselves from the danger of these fire explosions. The fire safety measures includes the planned as well as designed precautions which are included in the design and construction of the building as well as its environment. These measures are also designed for some already constructed building and environments. Threats posses by potential occurrence of fire and their dangers is usually referred to as fire hazards. This comprises of situations in which have potential fire occurrence and the impending escape if the fire starts within the building or its environs (Inglis, 1987). Fire safety measures and precautions are supposed to be part of the building safety and precautions which are generally provided to any construction firm or anyone who wants to deal with construction project. It is the duty and responsibility fire safety and precaution officials to see to it that every building as well as its environment in their areas of operation are installed with the necessary fire safety equipments as well as the occupants awareness of these safety and precaution measures. The officers should also ensure that the installed safety gadgets are well placed and labeled to enable even the most unaware people to be able to help curb the spread of fire in case of its occurrence. The conditions and materials which that exposes people or the environment to some dangers are referred to as hazards. This might comprise of such things as bad use of electrical appliances as well as electrical power such as overloading it or employing the wrong appliances in performing an operation, having building with substandard as well as blocked openings and ventilations. Careless disposal of such things as cigarettes, place inflammable equipments as well as gadgets in the wrong places and in the wrong manner within the building as well as not employing the most appropriate fire control precautions (The Gale Group, 2009). Case Studies of Fire Disasters in Britain 1. Stadium fire Disaster in Bradford City-England. Half of Valley Parade football stadium in Bradford City was destroyed by fire. This incidence of fire occurred during the match between home team (Bradford City) and the Lincoln City team. There was a devastating loss as 56 lives were lost. According to Bradford City A.F.C (2004), usually Bradford City team played all home games in this stadium. It is known that the football stadium was constructed ordinarily with wood despite the fact that it had a capacity for 18000 spectators. There was a sanction by the football club officials to improve the standards of the stadium at the elevation of Bradford City Club to division one level of English football It is during the progress of the match at the 40th minute of the first half at around 3:40 pm that the first signs of fire started to be noted. The fire is believed to have been caused by a careless fan who may have dropped a cigarette or its butt. A glowing light was noted from one of the stands of the stadium. It is believed that the cigarette or the butt fell to the rubbish that laid below it through the holes on the stand. According to Frost, (1988). One group of spectators ran to get the fire extinguishers at the place they beleived were placed but they found out that there was none at that moment. By the time the fire brigade was called the extent of the fire was almost uncontrollable with the much of the stadium having caught it. The major parts of the stadium were on fire in a short time with an experience of an amazing smoke. The major exit to the stadium that the spectators could have used was blocked by the collapsing burnt timbers and an envelop of smoke that the fire produced. An inquiry into the matter (Popplewell inquiry) was formed and found that there had been a warning on the standards of the stadium prior to the accident it then created rules to guide lack of promotion for safety inside football stadias and other football grounds in U.K. There was prohibition on construction of football stadias using wooden stands in U.K 2. The fire Engine Road crush-Scotland. In this case the incidence of the fire disaster was caused by afire brigade vehicle that was traveling to attend to an emergency call in Clackmannanshire school. The alarm turned out to be false when the smoke detector of the vehicle turned off. Mr. Noble from Alloa who had been in the profession of fire fighting for 20 years perished in the disaster and also a passenger during the occurrence of the accident Alan Robertson was critically injured. Alloa engine was investigated at Stathdevon school when the smoke detector alarm was activated. 3. Ireland’s First Disaster: Dromcollogher Cinema Fire 80th Anniversary-Northern Ireland In the first celebrations of the Dromcollogher.Co, 48 men women and children died in the fire disaster of the Limerick cinema.The fire is believed to have been caused by little boys who knocked over a candle. In endeavors to put off the fire the boys started throwing their caps at the fire. The candle fell on a naked film reel which then bust into an explosion of flames. A great wind of panic ensued as people tried to flee from the scene of the disaster. Many people found their way out by jumping out of the building. The fire is believed to have spread all over the place causing the breakdown and the collapse of the floor into the store room. At the point of disaster occurrence 46 people lost their lives. Due to sever injuries two more people lost their lives in hospital. According to Hosting, (2009) it is only 21 individuals out of the ones who lost their lives were in a position to be identified. The rest victims were identified uncertainly by assuming the people who did not go back to their homes. It is believed that out of the 20 children that were there died and many people who died in the disaster were at the age of 25 years and below. The army was called on to assist in handling of the the dead bodies afterwards. The dead bodies were so many that there were insufficient coffins to cater for all of them. The word “burning” became so frightening to the people even to mention it in the area of the Dromcollogher accident occurrence since it was used to describe the accident. All the bodies of the victim of the accident were buried in amass grave in a church (Hosting, 2009). 4. Fire at Corus plant in Trostre S Wales-Wales. In 2004 the Corus plant located in Trostre in Southern Wales caught fire. A packaging firm (Corus plant) was in its usual operations when it caught fire ( Gale Group, 2004). The plant was later evacuated to another location afterwards as a a matter of precaution during the operations of the fire service,the fire was eventually put off in the morning hours. The fire is believed to have started in a chimney of a clothing. Due to the investigations that ensued the manufacturing operations in that line of production in the firm stalled but business went on as usual in other lines of production. Crucial Elements of Fire Safety within the Building In order to see to it that fire accidents are combated, some universal fire safety measures have been put in place. These includes laid down fire safety standards as well s fire safety codes. For this to be clearly followed, there are some given policies regarding fire safety. Theses policies include include the following: The building occupant should maintain the equipment and facilities as well as behaving according to the provisions of the fire standard codes. The version of the building safety codes should be followed in placing all the equipments and facilities within the building. The occupants of the building ought to understand the fire safety codes as well as standards; this also includes the rules as well as the regulations and advised which are applicable to them (Scrivener, 2005). Safety Codes and Standards Applicable to the Building Occupants for Safety For the building occupants to be safer and assist themselves in preventing unnecessary fire accidents some safety codes and standards have to be adhered to. This includes the following: Not exceeding a certain number of individuals who are occupying the building as well as the number of people in every part of the building or house. Having the fire extinguishers kept and maintained in specific places suitable for assessment of all people in case of danger. This would assist any body near it to help reduce the fire or put it off. The people endangered by the fire can themselves access it and save themselves. Maintaining suitable fire exits and symbols which can assist every one to escape. Materials which are possible hazards should be used and stored well in areas that are far away from fire or fire place. Materials that are highly flammable should not be allowed in certain areas of the building. There should be regular examination of the buildings fire potentiality and provision of orders to be complied with or the necessary penalties for violations. Building and environments within them which dont comply with this rules and regulations should be closed and reopened only after proving of installation of the required facilities and following of the rules and regulations. Fire alarm gadgets should be put in the necessary areas to see to it that the occupants are alerted in case there is a danger of fire. All the time, one should ensure that the spray fire proofing is always okay and should have no damages. There should be sufficient training to all the occupants of the building. This should ensure full awareness of the safety measures and standards which would assist them in avoiding mistakes like open fire door propping. The building should have some regular fire drills carried out in order to enhance awareness. Common experienced fire Hazards Having vents for the cooling system blocked Having fumes produced from materials that are highly toxic after they have been burnt or heated Overloading of electrical appliances and systems. Fuel storage zones which high oxygen concentration and substantial insufficient safeguarding measures in this areas. Having particular items blocking fire exits lid candles being unattended. Leaving the clothes dryers with uncleaned and well maintained exhausts. Leaving some tobacco not well extinguished after use. Combustible materials being placed near electrical system or gadgets. Electrical wiring which are not well installed. Universally accepted Fire Codes Fire safety codes also referred to as fire prevention codes or rather just fire code refers to a model code usually that is accepted within the state and the jurisdiction in the local area. The code, in order to be adhered to needs to be enforced by the area officials of the fire prevention office who are normally found in the local municipals fire prevention departments. These code includes description of the threshold demands which able to protect the building from fire explosions that can result from the handling of hazardous materials and equipment(Fire Precautions, 2008). Scrivener (2005), asserts that the fire code is normally complements of the building code. Its aim it to assist in preventing fire explosions as well as the quick spread of fire. Fire code also ensures that the necessary education pertaining fire is provided to the buildings occupants and that there is appropriate use of fire equipments to all occupants. Through the enforcement of the fire code, the original designs and developments produced by the construction design architect as well as the construction engineers are usually followed with no compromise whatever. Several demands regarding maintenance and education of various fire protection equipment and facilities are also addressed by the fire code. Sections of the fire safety codes illustrates the necessary required for obtaining permission including the precautions to be complied with (Fire Precautions, 2008). Conclusion Fire disasters effects are extremely horrible and traumatizing. In most cases fire accidents do happen in in built environments. This can be explained by the fact that there is always limited escapades inside a built environment and use due to substandard construction on the other hand built environments pose a great danger because they possibly collapse when caught by fire. Fire disasters lead to loss of life and property and they are in many incidences caused by only negligence , carelessness or ignorance in human behaviors. Adherence of established fire codes to the letter can help minimize fire accidents to a tolerable level (BBC News, 2009) References BBC News, (2009). Probe into Fire engine Road Crash. Retrieved on Dec 5, 2009 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/7206468.stm Bradford City A.F.C. (2004). Bradford Fire Disaster. Retrieved on Dec 5, 2009 from http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/History/0,,10266~1013980,00.html Fire Precautions: Built environment, Conservation, Research and Conservation. (2008). Retrieved on Dec 5, 2009 from http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.00100200800d00h Frost, T. (1988). Bradford City a Complete Record 1903–1988. London: Breedon Books Sport.  Inglis, S. (1987). The football grounds of Great Britain. London: Willow Books. . Hosting, D. (2009). Ireland’s First Disaster: Dromcollogher Cinema Fire 80th Anniversary-northern Ireland Retrieved on Dec 5, 2009 from http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054987280&referrerid=59211 Scrivener, P. (2005). Bradford remembers fire disaster. Retrieved on Dec 5, 2009 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bradford_city/4506597.stm. The Gale Group. (2009). Fire at Corus Plant in Trostre S Wales. Retrieved on Dec 5, 2009 from http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054987280&referrerid=59211 Read More