Its getting hot in here!!!...

Finally our fire drill exercises were put to good use...or was it? this afternoon the fire alarm went off for a while and i presumed it was the normal routine fire alarm test...however i was quite suspicious at the oddity of the timing cos normally we have our tests in the morning...

I was taken aback when my Sr Officer came running to me asking me a key to a basement rm and announced that a FIRE broke out..he asked y we were still inside the Office?

Fire???!!! OMG!!! so imagine how stunned i was...and by the time i found the key and went down the fire was put out by my officer using a water hose! Initially a fire extinguisher was used but the flames just overpowered so my officer used a hose instead. Bad move on his part! though the flames was put off, water shouldn't be used. Fire caused by electrical cables/installations and could have resulted in in a bigger FIRE if water was used! The cause of the fire was a overheated air-con in the room! It seemed that the air-con melted in the flames too..Thank god the fire was put off without any hiccups! Civil Defence, Police soon combed the area and have began their investigations...i only managed to smell the fumes and saw the black smoke floating.

Coincidentally my ex-sch mate frm another section was actually working in/near the room where the fire broke out. And fortunately he too escaped it. Come to think of it we were totally laid back! Me and my clerk were ignorant and continued our work when we should have ran for our dear lives... We were as cool as a cucumber since the alarm lasted for a short while only.. we assumped that it was a test only!

Some pointers i've learnt today:

1)No matter how short or long the fire alarm, run out of the premises you're in. Go to the designated safe spot chosen during drill. Better safe than sorry!

2)The smoke if inhaled long can be toxic and fatal. Try not to inhale the fumes

3)If the fire is caused by electrical installations like air-con etc & oil do not use water as it will result in bigger flames

4)If fire erupt at home, run to the circuit breaker if possible and off the switches..Switch down means turning off the electrical connection..

5)Subsequently use a wet blanket and throw on the item that caught fire

6)Advisable to own a fire-extinguisher @ home & learn how to use it, it can be used for any type of fire

7)Water should be used only for non-electrical / non-oil based items like chair catching fire...

8)Fire caused by electrical spark & put off, can start again...need to observe for 2/3 hours!

So dear readers, putting out fire is not an easy task, we need to be act fast and right...even my officers who work in the elect line made mistakes so many might be under the impression that water is the best way which might not be. Now after clarifying my doubts my Sup wants to send me to fire-fighting course! Hmmm....some knowledge on life-saving tactics better than having none rite...hehe