Dear Editor,
Legend states that Roman Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) played the fiddle while Rome burned in 64 AD. While he certainly didn’t play the fiddle, since it had not yet been invented, the moral here is the seemingly carefree attitude of authorities to safeguard and regulate such disasters.
The never-ending destruction of properties in Guyana is a direct result of poor building codes and feeble material quality, compounded by poor regulatory bodies like the Housing Ministry, and inadequate property inspections.
Mae’s school is a now pile of ashes, while a fire on Saturday night at GuySuCo’s sugar terminal at Ramp Road in Ruimveldt, Georgetown destroyed rice sacks approximately one ton in weight.
Much has been written about the Mahdia fire tragedy, thus it may be superfluous to pile on the various outpourings of anger and grief. However, some proposed safeguards can be of great assistance. Guyana needs a complete overhaul of its archaic building codes and safety standards, coupled with periodic inspections by Housing and Fire Safety agencies. Presently, many dwellings – with their poor electrical wiring and overloaded circuits, coupled with inferior (Chinese) fixtures – are death traps waiting to claim more victims. Here are some solutions:
All persons, whether working in the public or private sectors, must be cognizant with the five primary methods that are employed worldwide in cases of fire. The acronym RACEE aptly depicts this: R=Rescue anyone in immediate danger. A=Alarm. Call the Fire Department! C=Confine the smoke/fire by closing doors and windows. E=Evacuate all persons. E=Extinguish small fires with portable fire extinguishers.
1: Buildings in Guyana have no classification. Single family homes are converted into tenant-occupied portions so that homeowners can accommodate family members and get some income. The flaw in this is that there is the same original plumbing and electric systems that now have to support more lighting and appliances. As Guyana is entering the technology era, a host of appliances are utilized — almost always invariably from one outlet. A microwave oven, an air conditioner and an iron can total as much as 4,000 Watts — enough to induce overloading and precipitate (sparks) fire. Extension cords, most times hidden under carpet, with their multiple connections pose extreme fire hazard. Then there is the scenario in which persons break off one of the prongs in three-way plugs to accommodate plug-ins. The earth safety is thus discarded, and overloading is facilitated.
2: Single-room occupancy (SRO) buildings, prevalent in university and hospital vicinities, need to be registered with the Building Department and given a registration number. In this way, inspection – say on a yearly basis – can be carried out, safety designs instituted, and complaints taken and investigated. A phone number must be established for this. Thirty-five persons occupying an uninsured building (near the university) borders on insanity.
3: A minimum space between buildings, say 5 feet, is a requirement that needs to be incorporated into building codes and zoning regulations. This facilitates evacuation as well as allows access by firefighters.
4: Commercial buildings need sprinkler systems – a series of roadside connections to connect fire hoses, which will distribute water inside a building in event of fire. Automated oxygen retardant systems need to be installed inside, where an increase in temperature (say at 110F) would trigger off the chemical (mostly halogens) spray. As this chemical sucks out the oxygen, the fire would be greatly contained. Smoke alarms are cheap, and should be installed along corridors, which are the principal pathways for smoke.
5: Bonds, regardless of what is stored, need to be sectionalised, much like the compartments in ships such as oil tankers. Concrete separating walls with steel (fire-proof) connecting doors must be the code for storage warehouses. This, coupled with periodic safety inspections, must be the way forward. Storage of cooking gas containers must never be inside a closed building. Propane is highly flammable (after all, people cook with it) and needs to be stored outdoors: any leakage/ explosion would dissipate harmlessly into the atmosphere.
6: Perhaps the worst aspect of construction in Guyana is the electrical system, material and installation codes. This is in serious need of overhauling. Systems such as 100 Amperes distribution with Fly Back Breakers are the standard for commercial buildings such as warehouses, offices, shopping centres, night clubs and so on. This is virtually non-existent. GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets (with built in overload kick-out) rarely exist, while electric wiring is predominantly vinyl-coated (easily combustible) copper wire. Additionally, old wiring, coupled with corroded fuses which do not trip or ‘blow’, poses severe risk of fire. As evidenced in the Cummings Lodge case.
7: Fire hydrants are taken for granted, instead of being seen as a means of emergency water supply. It is comical that hydrants invariably have little water in the ‘Land of Many Waters.’ Regular water pressure-monitoring needs to be instituted.
8: The Bureau of Standards must arise from its slumber and monitor the very poor quality of electrical fittings and accessories (mostly from China) that flood the Guyanese market.
And the Housing Authority must determine the safety features and occupancy of commercial buildings. The partitioning of buildings with the mere addition of a few walls to obtain an ‘apartment’ to get rental income has proven to have fatal consequences.
9: Burglar proofing using metal bars can be a feature of being penny wise and pound foolish. Any metal barriers must be of a gate (open & close) mechanism with a metal sliding rod which can only be opened from the inside.
In the final analysis, there is need for rigid polices to prevent further tragedies. All buildings must carry insurance, have sprinkler systems, and undergo a yearly inspection by the Fire Department, where pitfalls will be identified and corrected. Fines must be imposed on all forms of non-compliance.
Sincerely,
Leyland Chitlall
Roopnaraine
