A fire broke out in a hotel requisitioned during the epidemic in India. What was the cause of the fire?

According to the "Indian Express" report, in the early morning of August 9, local time, a fire broke out in a hotel in Vijayawada, India, that was temporarily converted into a COVID-19 care center. Ten people have died, the rest of the injured have been sent to the hospital, and the fire has been put out.

At least 40 COVID-19 patients and 10 medical staff were in the hotel when the fire broke out. According to reports, the cause of the fire was an electrical short circuit in the air conditioner on the first floor.

According to the editor’s understanding, most of the deceased died due to smoke inhalation. Because COVID-19 patients already have respiratory problems, the thick smoke caused by the fire will worsen the condition of some patients.

According to the Vijayawada police chief, the fire broke out near the reception area on the first floor, and then the fire quickly spread to the second floor of the hotel. He also said that about 30 people have been rescued so far, and the fire was under control within 25 minutes. In the event of a fire, patients could only be rescued using ladders because there was no external safety exit from the building.

As far as the editor understands, this is the second COVID-19 hospital in India to have a fire this week, and we also learned that in recent months, designated hospitals or diagnostic and treatment institutions for COVID-19 in India have been There have been several fires.

When a fire breaks out in a hotel, passengers living on higher floors are very unfamiliar with the hotel environment and the internal structure of the building. Once a fire breaks out, they will easily panic. , evacuations will not be carried out in order, so it will bring more serious disasters.

And the vast majority of fires occur at night. At this time, most people are in a deep sleep state, which will cause the evacuation operation to be delayed longer; and a few have no sleep. Most of them are drinking or having fun, and are not very sensitive to fire, so they cannot escape in time and cause casualties. When a fire occurs, fire, thick smoke and high temperature will spread rapidly, which seriously threatens people's life safety.

Therefore, it is crucial to understand what you need to pay attention to when staying in a hotel, how to escape when a fire breaks out in the hotel, and other fire safety knowledge.

First, understand the escape route map. There is usually an "escape route map" posted on the back of the door of a hotel room. It is usually a drawing with a schematic diagram of the floor, and the location and number of the room are marked. At the same time, there will also be an arrow (usually red) pointing from the location of the room along the corridor to the nearest evacuation location, so you should read this map the first moment you check into the hotel.

Second, pay attention to evacuation signs. When a fire breaks out, normal lighting power will be cut off, but these evacuation signs will appear extremely bright. Therefore, according to their guidance, whether in public spaces such as corridors, restaurants, or conference rooms, you can find the safe exit by the most convenient and fastest route.

Third, you must also be familiar with the safe escape passages and the location of the escape exits. It is necessary to master the method of opening the evacuation door. The doors on the evacuation route and the doors in the stairwell are all opened in the direction of escape and evacuation. As long as you apply a little force outward, you can open it easily without wasting some time.

Fourth, you must also pay attention to daily fire prevention and do not cause fire. Comply with the hotel's fire safety management system, never smoke while lying on the bed, and never add electrical equipment without permission.

Fifth, we must learn to use gas masks and use fire extinguishers correctly. Generally, gas masks are provided in higher-end hotel rooms, and you need to learn how to use them. When using a fire extinguisher, you must first pull out the safety pin, hold the hose with one hand, press the handle with the other hand, and aim at the root of the flame to spray.

Finally, you must learn to ask for help correctly. If you are surrounded by thick smoke and fire, don't panic, let alone blindly jump off the building. You must stay calm, stay in your room, use bright and conspicuous items such as sheets, etc., and then stand at the window and wave or shout to call for help.