Gujarat : Rising Temperatures Spark 300 Fires in Two Months in Ahmedabad

GANDHINAGAR, GUJARAT : More than 300 fire accidents have been reported in Ahmedabad within the last two months. 210 of these incidents, shockingly, were linked to short circuits in air conditioning and electrical ducting. Higher than rated electrical loads and the ensuing wire overheating, made worse by rising temperatures, were the main causes of this increase.

Jayesh Khadia, Chief Fire Officer, emphasised the important elements causing this increase in fire situations. “Excessive usage of electrical devices and environmental conditions causing wires and electronic appliances to overheat lead to fires,” Khadia said. To reduce these hazards, he underlined the need of thorough electrical inspections and the usage of premium electrical equipment.

The fire brigade’s first investigations showed that a large number of these fires happened in commercial-residential buildings with adjacent electrical and air conditioning ducting. A greater chance of short circuits results from the overall temperature being raised when hot air from one exterior AC duct comes into contact with another. This interaction frequently heats the wires, especially when the electrical load goes over the allowed limits and fires happen.

Khadia emphasised the need of service providers doing yearly maintenance checks and electrical inspectors doing routine inspections. To avoid heat accumulation and possible short circuits, he advised making sure that cables going through various electrical ducts are properly sealed. “Regular inspections and the use of high-quality electrical equipment can greatly lower the chance of fires,” he said.

Khadia suggested that both residential and commercial structures install Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) and Leakage Circuit Breakers (LCBs) to further improve safety. In the case of overloading, these switches trip and cut the circuit, therefore avoiding short circuits. In order to keep these switches working, he also underlined how often they must be replaced.

Khadia offered vital safety advice to reduce injury in the case of a fire. “Should a fire break out, cover your lips with a damp handkerchief and head for the building’s roof. Lye down on the ground and slowly exhale if there is too much smoke and breathing is hard. Breathe easier because smoke rises and there’s usually 1.5 feet of cleaner, colder air close to the ground,” he said.

The increase in fire occurrences emphasises the need of increased knowledge and preventative actions to deal with electrical safety, especially in hot weather. Preventing such catastrophes requires that buildings have appropriate electrical systems, are routinely maintained, and comply with safety regulations.