The Prosecutor's Office informs
Fire is a dangerous phenomenon, usually caused by unsafe actions of people.
It should be noted that this year there is an unfavorable situation with fires and fatalities. Despite the fact that the year has just begun, 59 fires have already been registered in our region, resulting in the deaths of 15 people (there is an increase compared to the same period in 2018: + 12 fires and + 9 fatalities).
The course of action for any homeowner seems simple. At the design and construction stages, it is necessary to foresee and implement solutions that ensure the required level of fire safety. Then, during operation, it is essential to follow the rules for using electrical, heating, and other fire hazardous equipment, and not to forget about autonomous fire alarms. Unfortunately, at every stage, there is a failure, and the well-known "it will be fine" takes over. We save on materials, forget to turn off working electrical equipment even in standby mode when leaving home, do not clean the chimney in a timely manner, do not monitor heating stoves, or trust those who should not be trusted due to age or physical condition.
Among the most alarming are the fires that result in the deaths of children. The main cause of fires with child fatalities, as practice shows, is the negligence of parents who leave them unattended, as well as children's mischief with fire. Adults often do not realize that by leaving children even for a short time, they are risking their lives. Of course, no parent wishes harm to their child, but in most cases, tragedies involving children are simply the result of adult negligence.
In recent years, nine children's lives have been lost in fires. Vitebsk region is no exception. On July 1, at 14:21, a report was received from neighbors about a house fire in the village of Polesye, in the Postavy district. Upon arrival at the scene, an open flame was observed in the house belonging to a local agricultural enterprise. A family with six minor children lived in the house. At the time of the fire, the father was working in the field, and the children's mother was at the neighbors' consuming alcoholic beverages. The children were left home alone without supervision. The family is registered as being in a socially dangerous situation. The eldest girl discovered the fire and carried four children out of the house, but could not wake one of her sisters. Under the collapsed building structures in the room, rescuers found a deceased girl born in 2010. The versions being considered for the cause of the fire are children's mischief with fire and the mother's careless handling of fire.
It is noteworthy that careless handling of fire while smoking is currently one of the main causes of fires and fatalities, mostly occurring in an intoxicated state. Similar incidents are reported almost daily in the Ministry of Emergency Situations' summaries.
On January 5, 2019, the Vitebsk Emergency Situations Center received a report of a fire in a residential building in the village of Pestunitsa. Upon arrival at the scene, an open flame was observed on the roof of the house and inside the living rooms. Firefighters found the bodies of two brothers born in 1969 and 1972 on the floor. Both deceased were unemployed and were in a state of alcohol intoxication at the time of the fire, with the most likely cause being careless handling of fire while smoking by one of the deceased.
On January 11, 2019, a house fire occurred in the city of Polotsk. As a result, three people died: the homeowner born in 1952, his wife born in 1950, and his wife's brother born in 1957, all of whom were pensioners. All had consumed alcoholic beverages the day before. The considered version for the cause of the fire is careless handling of fire while smoking by one of the deceased.
The highest number of fires due to careless handling of fire while smoking occurs in the evening and nighttime. Events unfold rapidly and always follow the same scenario, when a person falls asleep with a smoldering cigarette in hand, and after a while, neighbors call the rescuers. Unfortunately, at night, fires are discovered at a stage of burning when there is practically no chance of saving a person.
Alcohol abuse is currently one of the most pressing problems for police officers, emergency services, and other agencies. As is known, people in a state of alcohol intoxication completely or partially lose control over their actions and behavior. Often, a slightly intoxicated person throws unextinguished cigarette butts anywhere, lies down in bed with a lit cigarette, and does not think about the consequences. In most cases, this category of citizens, along with their safety, endangers the lives of their loved ones and those living nearby.
One way to protect your life may be to install autonomous fire alarms, which everyone knows about today, but not everyone yet understands the importance of this device and often neglects its installation.
At the same time, practice shows that in households equipped with autonomous fire alarms, the level of safety for the residents increases significantly. Only in 2018, thanks to the operation of fire alarms, 24 people were saved in the Vitebsk region, including 3 children. This year, in the village of Opsi, in the Braslav district, 5 people were saved, including 3 children. The fire that occurred in a residential building around five o'clock in the morning could have caught the residents off guard if it had not been for the timely activation of the fire alarm. The consequences of such a fire, caused by a faulty stove, could have been tragic.
Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Do not neglect safety rules!
Senior Assistant Prosecutor
Braslav District
A.P. Skurat