Electric short circuit a leading cause of fire incidents

By Nayak Paudel/Siraj Khan,Kathmandu/Banke, Dec. 23: Until December 17, a total of 1,486 incidents of fire were recorded from across the country since April 14, 2022. Property and structural damages were worth over Rs. 1.34 billion, while 46 people died, 198 got injured and 1,713 families were affected.

In the five five days of the current week since Sunday (December 18), fire incidents have reached 1,532. Issuing a daily bulletin on Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) informed the incidents left four people dead and four others injured over the five-day period.

Around Rs. 300 million in damages were reported in the 46 fire incidents during the period.

According to the authorities, more and more people are getting injured recently since they light fire for heat during winter. The fire is then caught by the clothes unknowingly, leading to burn injuries at times.

A 55-year-old woman was injured in Ward No. 3 of Harion Municipality of Sarlahi district Wednesday night. A caretaker in Chiran Mills, the woman’s clothes had caught fire while she was sitting by a fire for heat.

On December 18, the NDRRMA informed a 20-year-old woman, an 18-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman were injured by fire while sitting nearby a fire for heat, burning wastes and extinguishing a fire caused by gas leakage in Mahottari, Bara, and Dhankuta districts respectively. Making fire for heat without proper caution not only injures individuals, but destroys properties as well. Similarly, gas leakage has also been a common cause of fire incidents.

The officials informed that electric short circuit was the leading cause of fire incidents across the country. A fire broke out at the house of Buddhi Bahadur Karki at Nele Bazaar in Ward No. 1 of Thulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality in Solukhumbu district Tuesday evening.

The fire spread, completely destroying three other houses and damaging two others. Over Rs. 47.2 million worth of property was destroyed. On Monday, a fire, which started from the house of Dipak Gurung at Baksila Bazaar in Ward No. 4 of Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality of Khotang district, had also destroyed five houses.

The cause was also an electric short circuit, and more than Rs. 49.9 million worth property got destroyed. According to officials, fire cases have become dangerous recently because of windy days and nights. 

“During windy times, fire is difficult to control. Moreover, there is a lack of enough resources to fight against fire incidents across the country. Thus, we should prioritise preventive measures against fire,” said Dr. Dijan Bhattarai, spokesperson for NDRRMA.

The data available on the NDRRMA’s website shows that there are less than 200 fire engines across the country, other than the Kathmandu Valley. 

“Electric short circuits have been a major cause of fire incident nowadays. Local governments and authorities should make people aware about how to safely operate electrical appliances. Similarly, electricians should be requested to inform their customers about the importance of proper electric connections,” said Dr. Bhattarai, who is also a government under-secretary.

In Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, in Banke, a total of 341 houses and shops were destroyed by fire since April 14 until mid-August of the ongoing year. Among them, the majority of the incidents was the result of electric short-circuit, informed Banke’s District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC).

“Since people do not take proper measures while wiring their homes and shops, electric short-circuit takes place and fire incident occurs,” said Rupan Gyawali, information management officer at the DEOC.

In an effort to avert or minimise the risks of fire incidents due to electrical problems, electricians were provided a three-day training to prevent such incidents in Nepalgunj by Urban Disaster and Earthquake Prevention Project.

“There were 25 electricians and electricity shop operators in the training. They have been taught about ways to prevent electric short-circuit. They will spread the awareness to their clients and customers,” said Shiva Prasad Rijal, chief administrative officer of Nepalgunj.

“The technicians and dealers were provided with verbal and practical knowledge about electric short circuit and ways to prevent it,” said Sandip Dumre, an electrical engineer at Bheri Technical School.

Dumre, the trainer, argued that fire incidents could be slashed by a great extent if people installed electrical wires properly. The training concluded on Thursday.

“Technicians have been installing electric wires in houses and shops for a long time. However, the training was very fruitful,” said Dipak Khanal, chairman of Banke Electrician Association.

Somraj Chaudhary, an electrician who participated in the training, said, “I learned many new things from the training. I will make good use of the knowledge to mitigate risks of an electric short circuit at places I will work.”