meu 4/29 (1)

• Fire is a common accident that can result in a wide range of damages, from minimal to extensive
• Consequences of fire incidents include building collapses, implied damages, and potential injuries

  
• There has been a significant increase in fire incidents, posing risks to human lives and causing economic and ecological harm

  
• According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) data as of January 2024, there has been a 21.1 percent rise in nationwide fire incidents, with 15,900 cases recorded in 2023
• Ctesibius of Alexandria invented the first fire pump


  200 BC
• Roman Emperor Augustus Instituted a corps of firefighting vigiles. Watchmen sound the alarm at signs of fire

  24 BC
• After the Wooden Chimney of Thomas Sharp fire incident, the first fire ordinance in America to prohibit thatched roofs and wooden chimney was established


  1631
• After the Great Fire of London, insurance companies formed fire brigades. In 1865, it became London's Metropolitan Fire Brigade


  1666
• New York implemented a regulatory act stipulating that the required number of buckets for homes or businesses depended on the fire risk


  1680
• Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment is the first organized municipal fire brigade in the world. Established in Edinburgh, Scotland, led by James Braidwood


  1824
• William F. Channing, a Doctor in Boston used telegraph technology developed in the early 1840's to create the first fire alarm box system


  1852
• The first fire protection agency in the Philippines, Manila Fire Department, was established in Manila by the Americans


  1901
• Bucket Brigades


  • Consisted of two lines of people stretching from the town well to the fire, passing buckets of water to the fire and empty buckets back to the well to be refilled
• Ancient Fire Fighting Equipments


  • Bucket passed from hand-to-hand to deliver water
  • Ax to remove fuel and to make opening to allow heat and smoke to escape the burning building
  • Long hooks with ropes were used to pull down buildings in the path to create firebreaks
  • Fire fighting pumper and ladder truck
• On December 30th, 1903, tragedy struck the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois, when an arc light ignited a velvet curtain, sparking a devastating fire
• The blaze resulted in over 600 deaths, making it the deadliest fire in Chicago's history
• Despite initial reassurances to remain calm and the orchestra's continuation of playing, the fire rapidly escalated, causing panic among the occupants
• Although the theater boasted 27 exits, several were blocked by wrought iron gates, some of which were locked or latched, exacerbating the escape difficulties
• As a result, the fire code was amended to require outward-opening theater doors, clearly marked fire exits, and mandated fire drills for employees, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future
• On March 25, 1911, a tragic fire engulfed the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory located in the Asch Building in lower Manhattan, New York City
• Lasting less than 30 minutes, the fire claimed the lives of 146 out of 500 employees
• Inadequate safety measures, including locked exit doors and a lack of fire escapes, contributed to the high casualty count
• As panic ensued, workers desperately sought escape routes, with many unable to open locked doors leading to the stairwells
• The aftermath of the fire prompted significant changes, including the implementation of fire-prevention legislation, rigorous factory inspections, mandatory liability insurance, and improvements in working conditions for employees across industries, highlighting the imperative for prioritizing worker safety and fire preparedness measures
• On November 28, 1942, tragedy struck the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts, where approximately 1000 occupants gathered
• Within a harrowing span of less than 10 minutes, 492 people lost their lives
• Authorities later estimated that as many as 300 lives could have been spared if the doors had swung outward and if the venue had not exceeded its safe occupancy capacity
• The devastating incident prompted significant efforts in fire prevention and control for nightclubs and places of assembly nationwide
• Emergency measures were swiftly implemented, including the installation of emergency lighting, enforcement of occupant capacity limitations, and the mandatory introduction of exit lights, all aimed at addressing the shortcomings revealed by the tragedy and preventing similar catastrophes in the future
• On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center in New York City became the target of a devastating terrorist attack when hijacked commercial jetliners were deliberately crashed into the twin towers

  
• The catastrophic event resulted in nearly 3000 fatalities as both towers collapsed shortly after the impact
• Towers designed to withstand aircraft impact, but explosions and fires weakened structure, causing upper floors to collapse and overload lower floors
• More stringent emergency evacuation procedures, improved safety regulations for high-rise commercial and residential buildings established in response to the event
• On February 20, 2003, tragedy struck The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, when an on-stage pyrotechnics display ignited highly combustible soundproofing foam, engulfing the club in flames within a mere three minutes
• The devastating incident resulted in 100 fire-related deaths and left 180 individuals injured
• Patrons initially mistook the flames for part of the performance, leading to a delay in response until panic ensued as thick smoke rapidly spread throughout the venue
• Concerns were raised regarding the lack of automatic sprinkler protection and the use of highly combustible sound-deadening foam
• The tragic event underscored the urgent need for regulations mandating automatic sprinkler protection in small commercial and residential buildings, as demonstrated by the rapid spread of the fire and the devastating loss of life
• Fire


  The result of a chemical reaction called combustion, producing heat, light, and often smoke

  
• How does a fire start?

  1. Ignition

  2. Flame

  3. Spread

  4. Flashover

  5. Consumption