Remaining calm and staying indoors in the event of a fire in a residential building can save lives. This was emphasized in “The Day Begins“ on BNT by the director of the Directorate General “Fire Safety and Population Protection“ Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov, commenting on the tragic incident in the capital's “Svoboda“ district, in which three women died.
According to him, clear lessons should be drawn from such tragedies, the most important of which is that people should not give in to panic, as it often leads to fatal decisions. Currently, procedural and investigative actions are continuing to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident in the capital's “Svoboda“ district.
Dzhartov explained that in the event of fires in residential buildings, it is often the safer option for people to stay in their apartments, rather than trying to leave the building through smoky staircases.
“When citizens notice smoke in the stairwell, they should not enter it. It is extremely difficult for them to overcome this smoke without protective equipment, because they do not know how many floors down the smoke continues in the stairwell itself. In this case, it is safer to lock themselves in the apartments themselves. If necessary, they should go out onto a terrace that is not affected by the smoke, enter the bathroom, turn on the water, and seal the doors.“
The fire department director also specified that in large cities, teams respond quickly and arrive at the scene of the incident within a few minutes.
„If evacuation is necessary, colleagues on site will accompany them with the appropriate protective equipment.“
He emphasized that in the first minutes of a fire, people can react effectively if they have a fire extinguisher, and for home use, those with carbon dioxide are most suitable.
Dzhartov also warned about frequently made dangerous mistakes, such as extinguishing burning fat with water, which can lead to a rapid spread of the fire. He also drew attention to the risk of improper use of chargers.
“Chargers should not be left unattended – charging all night is not recommended, because over time such damage occurs.“