Saturday, May 21, 2022

Cigarettes main cause of fire mishaps in Telangana

By Asif Yar Khan

Published: Published Date - 12:39 AM, Wed - 14 April 21

The second highest cause for fire incidents was attributed to ‘electrical origin’ or short circuit. Around 4,187 cases of fire caused by carelessly thrown cigarette butts

Hyderabad: Carelessly thrown cigarette butts turned to be the main cause of fire mishaps in the State.

According to information available with the fire department, 4,187 cases of fire in the year 2020 were found to have been caused by negligently thrown still burning cigarette butts.

Last year, the fire department had attended a total of 7,127 calls which included fire incidents of serious, medium and small scale.

Fire officials maintained that the highest fire mishaps were reported due to human negligence in disposing cigarettes after smoking. “People don’t properly extinguish the cigarette before discarding it. Due to it fire breaks out in homes, offices, commercial establishments, industries and garbage dump,” points out V Papaiah, Regional Fire Officer, Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services.

The official said the fire at garbage dumps, forest areas, parks and combustible material storage points usually occurs due to carelessly discarding the cigarettes.

The second highest cause for fire incidents was attributed to ‘electrical origin’ or short circuit. During 2020, a total of 1,992 fire mishaps were found to have occurred in the State due to the short circuit. “People act carelessly when it comes to replacing damaged electrical wiring. As a result short circuit occurs resulting in fire accidents in the establishments or houses,” he said.

The other causes of fire were found to be faulty chimney in companies, gas coal furnace, arson, spontaneous combustion, oven stoves and mechanical heat/sparks.

The fire department in the year 2020 saved property valued at Rs. 959.85 crore and saved 59 lives during fire mishaps, and had conducted 4,929 mock drills across the State.

Fire Safety Week from April 14

Hyderabad: The fire department is organizing a Fire Safety Week from April 14 to 20.

During the week, mock drills would be conducted at public places like parks, railway station, malls, markets and slum areas. Lectures/ demonstrations in all residential apartments/colonies would be organised to highlight LPG safety, careless smoking and electrical safety. Fire drills would also be conducted at industries and fuel stations.

fire mishaps