The Ministry of Emergency Situations warns

The fire statistics show that, as a result of cold spells, need to use heating system and more use of electricity and gas for these purposes, in the autumn-winter season, the number of fires increases in comparison with the spring-summer season. As in all the corners of the world, in our republic this increase is also registered in the autumn-winter season, and most of the fires occur in the residential sector. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to completely prevent these incidents. However, it is possible to minimize the number of the fires, avoid human losses in case of any incident, and this is main task of State Fire Control Service.
State Fire Control Service annually conducts different preventive measures related to the beginning of the autumn-winter season.
The most tragic fire incidents are those accompanied by the human losses, which, of course, are registered in case of the fires in the apartments. Despite the fact that the propaganda talks are regularly held among the population, educational work is implemented using mass media and stimulation means, our citizens make the same mistakes, thereby opening the way to new fires and other disasters. As a result, they end up in the hospital with serious injuries or die. Therefore, it is important to implement the propaganda work on conducting inspections of multi-storey buildings, residential buildings, improving fire-technical knowledge among the population; and this matter should always be the centre of attention of business managers, appropriate measures should be taken in order to fulfil instructions and recommendations of the employees of State Fire Control Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Annually, in connection with the beginning of the autumn-winter season, with the purpose of prevention of fires in the apartments and people deaths, the employees of State Fire Control Service implement the propaganda activities related to improving the fire safety at sites and in the regions.
The results of fire analyses show that main cause of the fires in the apartments are violations of the fire safety rules during installation and operation of electrical and gas appliances and installations, negligence when working with fire and welding, children playing with fire, etc. Therefore, taking into consideration the cold spells due to the autumn-winter season on the territory of the republic, in order to strengthen preventive measures on eliminating the factors that result in the fires, educational work was implemented among the residents in the apartments of residential buildings, during which it was explained that use of open fire, i.e. candles and torches with the lighting purposes, drying the clothes above or near the furnace, use of electrical equipment and devices made by rule of thumb, storage of flammable objects and household gas cylinders in attics near chimneys, operating broken gas appliances, children playing with the fire are real threat of fire. At the same time, distribution of “To the attention of citizens” memos prepared by the
Service, placement of “Rules of conduct in case of fire in an apartment”, “Rules of protection against the threat of carbon monoxide” stickers in the elevator cabins of the buildings were provided with this purpose. The representatives of housing and communal maintenance areas, gas and electricity departments, region municipalities and executive authorities were also involved in this work.
Most recently, the cases of carbon monoxide poisoning have been registered among the population during the operation of the gas appliances. It was found that most of these incidents occur due to non-compliance of the citizens with the safety rules. Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when a fire occurs, furnace lid is closed early, car engine is functioning in a garage, indoors. And in the apartments, the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning most often occurs when heating the house with heating appliances or in the bathroom. Due to wrong use of the gas appliances not in accordance with the instructions, the accidents such as explosions, fires, poisoning occur, which lead to the human losses and injuries. In order to avoid such the emergencies, it is forbidden to use the gas appliances that do not meet the standards in residential premises. The safety devices of each household gas appliance is to always be in good condition, and when using them, specified safety rules are to be completely observed!
When conducting the fire-fighting propaganda at the meetings with the population, it should be explained that it is necessary to ensure that electrical distribution boards installed in the entrances and on the floors of residential buildings are in good condition, operated in accordance with the requirements of the “Rules for the installation of electrical equipment” and “Fire safety rules”, only electrical fuses conforming to the standards are used on electrical boards. As well, it is necessary to ensure constant keeping the attics clean, impregnating wooden structural elements with fire-resistant mortar, glazing existing windows, and it is also necessary that the fire doors in the walls and ventilation chambers are tightly closed. The basements of residential buildings should always be kept clean, their entrance doors should be closed, and the keys should be in one of the apartments on the first floor or at the custodian. The use of gas appliances is not allowed at facilities operated on the first floor and in the basement of the buildings.
Attention should always be paid to ensuring that the fire-fighting marches provided for by the project remain open and are not used for any other purposes. Specific organizations and departments, residents are not allowed to occupy the marches.
It is necessary to take care of safe use of electric and gas appliances, correct installation of chimneys and their cleaning. It is prohibited to store flammable and combustible liquids on the first floor, in the basement of residential buildings, to operate any enterprises, workshops and other facilities, to create auxiliary rooms in stairwells and corridors, as well to store household items under staircases and on
their platforms. It is necessary to provide for the equipment of internal fire-fighting water taps with hoses, connecting heads and trunks, the presence in good condition of pumping stations designed to increase water pressure, automatic fire alarm systems, smoke extraction and ventilation systems on the floors of multi-storey residential buildings. Serious attention should also be paid to strict compliance with the fire safety rules in village and rural settlements, as well in private courtyards during transportation, collecting dry grass, and using the furnaces. Of course, all these serve to prevent the fires in apartments, private residential premises and human losses.