Behind the Headlines – World Book Student
  • Search

  • Archived Stories

    • Ancient People
    • Animals
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Industry
    • Civil rights
    • Conservation
    • Crime
    • Current Events
    • Current Events Game
    • Disasters
    • Economics
    • Education
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Food
    • Government & Politics
    • Health
    • History
    • Holidays/Celebrations
    • Law
    • Lesson Plans
    • Literature
    • Medicine
    • Military
    • Military Conflict
    • Natural Disasters
    • People
    • Plants
    • Prehistoric Animals & Plants
    • Race Relations
    • Recreation & Sports
    • Religion
    • Science
    • Space
    • Technology
    • Terrorism
    • Weather
    • Women
    • Working Conditions
  • Archives by Date

Posts Tagged ‘fire safety’

Fire Safety: What Can You Do?

Monday, January 24th, 2022
A flammability test determines how fast a substance burns. These scientists are observing how a car's plastic fuel tank holds up during a fire. © Southwest Research Institute

A flammability test determines how fast a substance burns. These scientists are observing how a car’s plastic fuel tank holds up during a fire.
© Southwest Research Institute

After the tragic fires in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Bronx in New York City took the lives of 29 people within a week, it is an important time to review fire safety tips. House fires occur more often in winter due to the use of space heaters, fireplaces, candles, cooking, and other heating equipment. While you huddle up to keep warm, check to make sure you are being safe.

Fire pre​​vention is a term for the many safety measures and programs used to keep harmful fires from starting and to reduce injuries to people and damage to property. Many individuals, groups, and communities work to prevent fires and reduce injuries to people. They use three main methods: (1) laws and regulations, (2) inspection of buildings and other property, and (3) public education about fire safety. Each year, fires cause thousands of deaths throughout the world. Most of the deaths and injuries that are caused by fire occur at home. Some simple precautions can help keep your home—and the people in it—safe from fire.

The leading causes of fires in the home are cooking, heating equipment, arson, electrical equipment, and smoking. Since the 1980’s, both the number of home fires and deaths related to them have been in decline. The decrease is the result of such initiatives as fire prevention programs; regulations requiring furniture to be less easily ignited; and the use of smoke alarms and sprinkler systems.

A smoke alarm is a device used in homes and other locations to warn people of smoke or a fire. You can help ensure your family’s safety in case of fire by installing one or more smoke alarms. The alarm makes a loud noise within seconds after smoke enters its vents. Smoke alarms operate on household electricity, battery power, or both. Typical locations include on the ceiling in and just outside sleeping areas, and on each level of a home. Make sure there is a working smoke alarm in your home and consider installing a residential sprinkler system.

See if your family or building has a fire extinguisher. A fire extinguisher is a metal container filled with water or chemicals used to put out fires. Fire extinguishers are portable and easy to operate and can be used to put out small fires before the flames spread.

To prevent cooking-related fires, do not leave food cooking on the stove unattended. A pan of hot cooking oil can quickly become a blazing grease fire. If a grease fire starts, do not try to move a blazing pan. Instead, put a lid on the pan or use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Do not pour water on a grease fire because it will cause the fire to spread.

Another way to prevent fire is to keep matches and flammable materials away from children. Never play with fire. Stay away from fires, especially because many types of fabrics burn easily. Do not stand near heaters, candles, lighted stoves, bonfires, or other sources of high heat. If fabrics or similar materials catch fire, use a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.

Fires can be caused by faulty electric wiring in houses. In old homes, have a qualified electrician regularly check electric wiring and replace any wires that appear weak or worn. Limiting the use of extension cords can also prevent fires from starting. A fire can also result from overloading one outlet with appliances.

Cleaning out cluttered spaces is also a good idea! Clear out rubbish, old clothing, and other unused items from the attic, basement, closets, and other storage areas. A fire could easily start there.

Gasoline and other flammable liquids, such as paint and furniture polish, should be stored in tightly covered containers. Keep such items away from the stove, fireplace, and other sources of heat. Such materials should be stored in a separate storage area, if possible, or at least in the garage.

If you have a fireplace, put a screen in front of it to prevent sparks from flying out. Remind others that cigarettes and other smoking materials must be put out completely, using ashtrays.

As a family, plan an escape route from each room and hold a home fire drill regularly. All exits must be kept clear at all times. It might seem silly when you are practicing, but it can make a big difference if a fire does occur.

If there is a fire, call the fire department after exiting the house or building. This call should be made from outside the house right away. Plan a meeting at home about fire safety and see what you can do to keep your home and family safe this winter.

Tags: arson, cooking, fire prevention, fire safety, heat, winter
Posted in Current Events | Comments Off

The Iroquois Theater Fire

Friday, December 28th, 2018

December 28, 2018

On Dec. 30, 1903, 115 years ago this Sunday, a fire at the Iroquois Theater in downtown Chicago killed 602 people. The disaster was the worst theater fire and worst single-building fire in United States history. It resulted in the institution of new fire safety laws and building codes to help prevent such a disaster from ever happening again.

Panorama image of Iroquois Theater fire aftermath. Credit: Public Domain

This photo shows the interior of Chicago’s Iroquois Theater after it was destroyed by fire on Dec. 30, 1903. Credit: Public Domain

The Iroquois Theater had opened just a month before the fire, on Nov. 23, 1903. The beautiful new theater was claimed to be “fireproof,” but many basic fire precautions were overlooked as the owners rushed to open the building for the lucrative holiday season. The giant theater—with seating for some 1,600 people plus “standing room” for hundreds more—had no fire alarms or sprinklers and emergency smoke vents above the stage were nailed shut. Exit doors opened only inward, many structures and fixtures contained oil-based paint and other highly flammable materials, and the theater’s seating levels were separated by locking gates. The lack of care and attention given to fire safety at the Iroquois Theater proved to be disastrous.

Iroquois Theater. Credit: Public Domain

Chicago’s Iroquois Theater was open for only five weeks before it was gutted by a disastrous fire on Dec. 30, 1903. Credit: Public Domain

The Iroquois Theater presented Mr. Bluebeard, a musical comedy, to a crowd of over 1,900 people on the afternoon of Dec 30, 1903. Another 400 performers and theater workers were crowded into the basement dressing rooms and backstage areas. During the show, a floodlight over the stage exploded, setting fire to a velvet curtain. The fire quickly spread to the oil-painted wood and canvas set pieces hanging in the catwalks and soon flaming debris was falling to the stage. An actor pleaded for people to remain calm, but the audience panicked and tried to flee the theater, which was quickly filling with flames and smoke.

Unfortunately, many of the theater’s exits were locked or hidden behind curtains. Other doors were unlocked, but they only opened inward, trapping people as they were pressed from behind by more and more people. The trapped people were quickly overcome by flames and smoke. After a stagehand ran to the nearest fire station, firefighters arrived to find theater doors blocked by bodies on the inside. At last, firefighters worked their way into the theater and extinguished the flames, but the damage had been done. Hundreds of dead bodies lay in the theater, and more people died from injuries in the coming days.

Investigations into the fire found numerous violations and irresponsible building practices. In the coming months and years, new fire safety laws required unlocked, outward-opening doors in theaters as well as occupancy limits, wider aisles, exit lights, automatic sprinklers, fire alarm systems, and flame resistant scenery, props, and curtains.

Tags: chicago, disaster, fire, fire safety, iroquois theater
Posted in Current Events, Disasters, Government & Politics, History, People | Comments Off

  • Most Popular Tags

    african americans ancient greece animals archaeology art australia barack obama baseball bashar al-assad basketball china climate change conservation earthquake european union football france global warming iraq isis japan language monday literature major league baseball mars mexico monster monday mythic monday mythology nasa new york city nobel prize presidential election russia soccer space space exploration syria syrian civil war Terrorism ukraine united kingdom united states vladimir putin world war ii