Fire department inspectors are cracking down on people who violate rules on lithium ion batteries.
These batteries are blamed for causing an increasing number of fires.
The FDNY conducted a joint operation at five locations in Manhattan earlier this week where they found rows of batteries being charged on wooden shelves.
Firefighters in Hong Kong are battling a huge blaze at a high-rise building under construction in the Kowloon district, which has forced the evacuation of some nearby apartment blocks.
It eventually escalated to the fourth level of severity on a five-point scale and about 130 people living in three buildings nearby were evacuated early on Friday amid concerns the fire might spread.
Multiple floors of the structure – including scaffolding – were on fire and burning debris floated in the air. Some fell to the ground.
The risk of fire hazard is increasing by the day as buildings as tall as 10-12 storeys are being built without adhering to the Building Code while ignoring fire safety plans in all the urban centres across the country, including Dhaka.
The high-rise structures around the country lack proper arrangement of extinguishing systems such as stairs and exit paths, fire elevators, fire doors, fire detectors, fire sprinklers, fire suppression systems etc. Those buildings without basic fire safety plans are being used for commercial and other purposes without any type of occupancy certificate.
A lithium-ion battery sparked yet another fast-moving fire, this one in New York City on Sunday, leveling a supermarket and neighboring laundromat, authorities said.
Firefighters had water on five-minute-old flames inside Concourse Food Plaza, about 2 miles north of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, but the blaze was already out of control, officials said.
An electric mobility device, possibly an e-bike powered by a lithium-ion battery, is blamed for the five-alarm fire, which was touched off at 10:40 a.m. ET.
When firefighters battle a blaze in a rugged, mountainous region, one of their biggest challenges is simply staying in touch. Their handheld radios often don’t stay connected to each other, and many fire crews lack simple, off-the-shelf solutions, such as the portable systems the U.S. armed forces use to set up a communication network in places where infrastructure is lacking.
At least 10 passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight from Dallas to Orlando were taken to hospitals after a battery fire forced the pilot to make an emergency landing in Jacksonville on Wednesday, officials said.
A battery had ignited in an overhead compartment, but flight crew members and passengers, including a retired firefighter, were able to put it out before firefighters arrived, he said.
The world’s most northerly forests could be a “time bomb” of planet-warming pollution as expanding wildfires have released record high levels of planet-heating pollution into the atmosphere, according to a new study.
Two million air fryers are being recalled due to faulty wires causing them to catch fire. Even if your air fryer is not among them, there are still ways it can become a fire hazard. Western Mass News is getting answers from the West Springfield Police Department which recently responded to a fire started by that popular kitchen appliance.
Smoke alarms are a crucial piece of fire safety equipment, but they only work if they are maintained.
A working smoke alarm can save lives by alerting people to fires as early as possible. However, not all homes have working smoke alarms. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that from 2014-2018 almost three out of five fire deaths in US homes were caused by fires in properties with no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that failed to operate.
The number of fire-related deaths is rising
The Ontario fire marshal has recently reported on the number of fire-related deaths in Ontario over the past year. According to the data, there were a total of 133 deaths related to fires in 2022, which is the highest number recorded in more than 20 years.
“A very high percentage of fatalities happen in homes without working smoke alarms,” said fire marshal Jon Pegg when asked about the findings. “We don’t need to be losing families. We certainly don’t need to lose able-bodied children who just made it through Christmas, looking forward to New Year’s. It breaks my heart, ”
“I’m standing here as the fire marshal of Ontario, as a father, and as someone who’s been on the scene of fatal fires far too many times, and I’m pleading with each and every one of you,” he said. “Please take the fundamental steps and prevent a fire death. Check your smoke alarms now. It only takes seconds.”
The report also found that most of these deaths occurred during the winter months of November, December, and January. According to the Red Cross, in these colder months, heating equipment like portable space heaters are the leading cause of home fires.
Fire alarm systems in multi-unit buildings
While smaller homes often use smoke alarms, multi-unit housing like apartments often have fire alarm systems. The failure of these systems to alert tenants of danger can also cause death, often in much larger numbers. Keeping in mind the distinction between fire alarms and smoke alarms, where a smoke alarm is capable of sensing smoke and sounding an alarm within a specific area containing fumes, fire alarms are activated by smoke detectors. They sound a widespread alarm that will be heard across the entirety of a building or site.
Many large-scale fires have also been attributed to failing fire alarm systems:
Shawn Mahoney from the NFPA provides a detailed illustrated guide to fire alarms in a recent article entitled A Guide to Fire Alarm Basics. Its comprehensive illustrations demonstrate how a fire alarm system works and where it can fail. The article shares a visual guide and discusses some of the major components and functions of a fire alarm system.
Educating your community
Education is critical to smoke alarms and fire alarm maintenance and placement. Sharing this knowledge is an excellent way for the fire service to engage with the local community. Managing smoke alarms and fire alarms in buildings involves common sense, yet many times things are overlooked. By creating a checklist, the smallest of details can be tracked:
Summary
In the event of a fire, firefighters are trained to respond quickly and safely. But it is also up to citizens to protect themselves, their families, and their tenants by installing and properly maintaining smoke alarms and fire alarm systems when required in their buildings.
Reducing the number of fire-related deaths should be a top priority. By keeping fire safety education at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we can work towards reducing the number of fire-related deaths every year.
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Additional information sources:
NFPA Top Fire Causes and Risks
Electrical Fire Safety Outreach Materials
AspenGlo, in partnership with Multi-Inc., developed a new biodegradable fire-resistant foam that recently received federal patenting. The foam is meant to be used as a protective measure, keeping homes and other structures safe from fire damage, according to a Kent Oliver, chief executive officer of AspenGlo.