The invention of fire, possibly about a million years ago, is widely considered one of the most critical inventions of all times. Having immense significance in everyday life, it is indeed impossible to imagine life without it. At the same time, fire can have devastating consequences if it gets out of control.
An example of this was observed recently when, on 28th March, a house in Greater Kailash 2 caught fire. Unfortunately, the house was vacant as it had been handed over to the builder for redevelopment, so the fire spread unabated. However, due to the presence of alert neighbours, the disaster was averted.
The resident immediately informed the RWA as well as concerned authorities. The police also responded immediately and helped the residents as well as RWA members to bring the fire under control. With timely intervention and God’s grace, there was no loss of life and the damage to the property was also minimal.
This incident serves as an important lesson for all of us. It is critical that there should not be any inflammable material lying unattended, especially in vacant houses/apartments. Each household must also keep fire extinguishers handy to help control fire, especially till such time that fire services reach the spot. Also, there should be an accessible switch to cut off the electrical supply to the entire property so that fire doesn’t involve electrical wires. Lastly, as the fire tends to spread with the wind, it is important to ensure that surrounding trees do not catch fire.
With the advent of summer, such incidences are only likely to rise. As residents, it is our responsibility that such terrible incidences do not happen. Furthermore, as fellow residents, we should be alert to any such untoward incidents and inform the concerned authorities immediately. It is also our duty that our domestic help are also trained to act in an alert manner and prevent any such disaster.
