How to prevent your house from fire in Nigeria

One of the most devastating things that can happen in your home is a fire.

In 2015, Lagos State in Nigeria recorded over 417 fire incidents in two months destroying property worth billions of Naira. In 2016, the Federal Fire Service (FFS) revealed that property worth over N16 billion was lost in 809 fire incidents in Abuja and Lagos between January 2015 to June 2016.

The director, Lagos  Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe attributed the majority of fire incidences across the state to carelessness on the part of the citizenry.

To effectively prevent fire outbreaks, you must ensure that safety measures have been put in place. The problem with fires is that you probably never think of fire safety until you experience an outbreak at home or someone you really care about is affected.

This article will cover fire safety tips you should incorporate into your home to avoid losing lives, property and valuables.

Install smoke alarms in your home

When it comes to fire, don’t take anything for granted. You should, therefore, endeavour to install smoke alarm detectors in all rooms in your house. At the time of writing this article, for as little as N1,700 and N3,000, you can buy a smoke alarm detector.

Now that you know how to prevent your home from fire outbreaks, you should take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from fire.

Educate children around you

As an adult, you know how dangerous fires are but that is not enough. Children must understand this as well. Take out some time to explain to them about the dangers of fires at home.

It is also vital to ensure that all sources of fire are kept out of the reach of children in your home. Things like match boxes and lighters should not be handled with levity.

In 2016, the Lagos State government took fire safety advocacy to schools and streets to raise fire safety consciousness in the minds of the youngsters across the state.

Be wary of electrical fires

We all know electrical gadgets and appliances certainly make our lives less stressful. However, they can easily become a fire risk of not handled with care. You must remember to pay attention to your electrical appliances. Once they are faulty, you should ensure they are either properly repaired or replaced. Do not use a faulty electrical appliance in your home.

Don’t run wires under rugs especially when torn

If your home has rug flooring, then you should not run cords or cables under your rug.  Wires become hot and should not be beneath rugs and carpets. Also, be on the lookout for wires and cables that might be torn in certain places. The danger with such wires is that if left undetected, they can spark up flames if they come in contact with flammable materials in the house.

Leave electrical jobs to professionals

Instead of going for a quick fix or doing electrical jobs in your home by yourself, you should leave such tasks to professionals. Don’t try to cut cost by carrying out such works yourself.

Exercise caution when cooking

There is no such thing as being too careful in the kitchen. When cooking, you must pay attention to two things; what you are cooking as well as they flame with which it is being cooked.

You should always stay in the kitchen to keep an eye on what you are cooking. Don’t wander off to check your phone or anything else. Also, when cooking, don’t leave hand towels, curtains and other flammable items too close to flames.

While cooking, pay attention to what you wear. Make sure your clothing is not loose. Keep it short and fitted to avoid setting your sleeve on fire.

On days when you feel exhausted and extremely sleepy, you should avoid cooking or operating electrical appliances because you might doze off.

Your home needs a fire extinguisher

You should make sure you have a fire extinguisher in your home to put out fires if you ever have an incident. Fire extinguishers in Nigeria cost around N3,500 and N63,000 depending on what you want. They are largely affordable.

Don’t store fuel or diesel at home

Some Nigerians have a habit of storing fuel in their homes. However, the fact that they do it does not make it right. You should avoid storing fuel at home by all possible means. Fuel scarcity is a common occurrence in Nigeria but this still does not make it safe to store fuel at home.

The Lagos State Government has repeatedly warned residents against storing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel at home regardless of its recurring scarcity.

In a space of 13 days in 2016, no fewer than 76 homes were razed as a result of families keeping fuel in their homes or in the boots of their cars. Also, in April 2016, a family of 3 were burnt to death in their home after fuel stored in their home exploded.

Candles are beautiful but dangerous

Candles are very popular and look great in the home. However, despite the many beautiful ways candles can be used, they can become a big problem if not handled with care.You must be careful not to place candles close to table cloths, curtains and other flammable materials.

There is also a danger of having them knocked over by children or restless pets in the home.

When using candles, blow them out you are about to sleep. Make sure you double check all candles that were earlier lit to ensure they have all been effectively extinguished.

How many of these safety precautions have you taken?