Fire hazard season: stay warm safely

According to statistics, fires caused by faulty or improperly operated stoves occur almost daily during the autumn-winter period.

On November 18, at 21:17, rescuers from the Vitebsk District Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations responded to a report of a residential house fire in the Zheleznyaki garden cooperative on Tikhaya Street in the village of Zheleznyaki.

Upon arrival at the scene, the wooden house was completely engulfed in flames, and the roof had collapsed.

The owner of the property, born in 1958, was in the house when the fire broke out. By the time the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees arrived, the pensioner had independently left the dwelling and was already outside.

It was found that while attempting to extinguish the fire himself, the man sustained burns and was hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of second-degree burns (36% of the body) to the hairy part of the head, back, face, and upper extremities, as well as poisoning from combustion products.

The fire was extinguished by rescuers. As a result of the fire, the roof, ceiling, and property were destroyed by fire, and the walls were damaged.

The cause of the fire is being established. The considered version of the cause of the fire is a violation of the rules for operating stoves, heat-generating units, and devices.

The main fire safety requirements that citizens must observe to prevent fires when operating stoves are regulated by fire safety rules:

1. Operation of a faulty stove is not allowed! The stove must be properly constructed and in good working order – this is the most important thing!
2. The stove's chimney must be periodically cleaned of soot (depending on operating conditions), but at least once a year. Cleaning can be carried out independently by the owner of the residential house where the stove is located, or with the involvement of specialized organizations.

When operating stoves, it is not allowed to:

– operate the stove if the masonry of the firebox vault has collapsed;

– use flammable and combustible liquids (gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and similar) for ignition;

– to fire with open doors, except in cases where the design of the stove provides for firing with an open firebox (e.g., a "Russian stove", a fireplace);

– its overheating;

– to place flammable substances and materials on it or at a distance capable of causing their ignition;

– to fire a stove not designed for these types of fuel with coal, coke, and gas;

– to leave a firing stove unattended.

Also, the stove, the surfaces of the chimney and walls through which the smoke ducts pass, must be in good condition, without through cracks, and to detect cracks in the chimney in the attic space at an early stage – plastered and whitewashed. Annually before the heating season, a visual inspection of the stove and chimney (ducts) must be carried out. Ash, coals, and slag removed from the stove must be doused with water until they are completely extinguished.