Fire Accident in Sta. Cruz Manila last April 28, 2021. For full news report, click here
A Sad Morning
What may be a random, forgettable day for many is this year’s most tragic day in Sta. Cruz, Manila. On the 28th of April, 2021, news agencies broadcast a fire that broke out in a 2-storey apartment on Elias Street. It was as early as 6:13 am, supposedly the start of a new day for a mother and her child, but it turned out to be their last moments of crying for life. Neighbors could clearly recount the series of explosions they heard prior to the blaze. Onlookers could vividly recall how the trapped mother and daughter waved at the window while the fire was spreading. Unfortunately, they also couldn’t think of ways to break the window’s grills, and understandably panicked for their own safety, as the fire escalated to a second alarm in just five minutes.
Roderick Suarez, the barangay chairman, reported further that the two were still trying to escape by the window when the firefighters arrived. While the fire was being extinguished, the mother fell and her daughter held on to the grills. Both of them did not make it alive. At 6:55 am, the fire got cleared, with the kid’s burnt body in a sitting position by the window’s grills, retrieved hours later, along with her mother’s unrecognizable remains.
Disastrous fires aren’t isolated cases in the Philippines. According to records from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), an average of 42 per day and 15,545 fire incidents per year happened from 2013 to 2017. There was a slight increase for 2018, with 15,848 incidents reported. The year 2019 showed more alarming figures, as 16,382 cases were on paper. These statistics translate to hundreds of slow and painful deaths of someone’s loving mother, father, kids, or precious friends.
While most people who die due to fire die because of asphyxiation, where the body’s oxygen is replaced by carbon dioxide and monoxide, being burned alive is real, and it’s the kind of death we wouldn’t wish even on our worst enemy. Take note that it’s the 3rd degree burns that kill nerves, the pain receptors, so just imagine how excruciating the pain is before one gets unable to feel it. A human body can even burn for up to seven hours!
How We Can Avoid It
Awareness, education, and prevention breed safety. Authorities always emphasize the need to have fire exits and fire extinguishers in every building and home. In cities with narrow streets and overcrowded housing, fire exits may just be an elusive ambition. Fire extinguishers, on the other hand, are indeed essential and even mandatory for certain properties. However, it takes skill to use a fire extinguisher and using it incorrectly may cause an explosion at the worst possible time – when a fire is already burning everything! We can also worsen things by using the wrong class of fire extinguisher. Some types aren’t meant for confined spaces and fires due to electrical faults or chemicals. Always consult a professional when buying one.
Assuming we’re now experts on the use of fire extinguishers, the next thing we need is a crash course on staying calm in life-or-death situations. It’s obviously easier said than done. But then, knowledge of basic safety protocols is a huge help for the mind to always be ready to focus on the goal of survival. In case of fire, avoid inhaling too much smoke by putting a wet towel over the nose. Then, crawl, not walk, to the nearest exit, as smoke naturally rises and crawling means being under that smoke. Leave the burning house to the firefighters and don’t try going back for anything.
Another lifesaver could be a modern, high-quality, functional, and handy fire safety product. We can make our homes more of a no-fail comfort zone by hanging a fire blanket on easy-to-reach areas. This great invention is purely made of flame retardant materials called woven fiberglass fabric, which can isolate high temperatures for up to 1076 °F or 580 °C. Use it literally as a blanket when getting out of a burning house or building, and it can provide an effective outer layer protection against contact with heat.
Also, did you know that there is such thing as a fire triangle? This refers to the three elements that bring a fire into existence – oxygen, heat, and fuel. Newer references include chemical reaction, making it a fire tetrahedron, instead of just a triangle. Remove one element and there will be no fire. It’s the oxygen supply to a fire that a fire blanket cuts off, making it an immediate extinguisher for small flames starting to spread as well. With this, we can rest easy knowing we’ll be protected even in the worst-case scenario of being trapped in the middle of a fire breakout. The best part? It can stand the test of time as it never expires!
What Can You Do
Stay informed and raise fire safety awareness by teaching it not only to the kids at home, but also to people in our community. Meanwhile, putting fire safety products in place is truly one of the most valuable and productive home projects we should accomplish ASAP. As the wisest say, firefighting is one man’s job; fire prevention is everybody’s job.