Fire hazards are not always obvious in and around the home, so accidents involving fire are often unexpected and sudden. These accidents can occur from faulty wiring, defective products, discarded cigarettes left on flammable materials, and smoke detectors that fail to activate. It call also be caused by overheated engines, especially for cars.

The classes of fire are;

Class A – fires involving solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles.
Class B – fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils.
Class C – fires involving gases.
Class D – fires involving metals.
Class E – fires involving live electrical apparatus. (Technically ‘Class E’ doesn’t exists however this is used for convenience here), and;
Class F – fires involving cooking oils such as in deep-fat fryers.

A fire accident victim anyone who got burnt by fire, either at home or outside. They are very vulnerable victims and because their skin is the main case, how we care for it at that moment will go a long way like other types of accident effects.

Remember if the victim is still on fire, you

1. Stop, Drop, Cover and Roll
2. Smother the flames with a blanket, or
3. Move away from heat source

Appropriate first aid must be used to treat any burns or scalds as soon as possible. This will limit the amount of damage to your skin or that of the victim.

• Stop the burning process as soon as possible. This may mean removing the person from the area, dousing flames with water, or smothering flames with a blanket. Do not put yourself at risk of getting burnt as well.
• Remove any clothing or jewellery near the burnt area of skin, including babies’ nappies. But do not try to remove anything that’s stuck to the burnt skin, as this could cause more damage.
• Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes as soon as possible after the injury. Never use ice, iced water, or any creams or greasy substances like butter.
• Keep yourself or the person warm. Use a blanket or layers of clothing, but avoid putting them on the injured area. Keeping warm will prevent hypothermia, where a person’s body temperature drops below 35C (95F). This is a risk if you’re cooling a large burnt area, particularly in young children and elderly people.
• Cover the burn with cling film. Lay the cling film over the burn, rather than wrapping it around a limb. A clean, clear plastic bag can be used for burns on your hand.
• Treat the pain from a burn with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions when using over-the-counter medication. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.
• Raise the affected area, if possible. This will hep to reduce swelling.

Fire accident victims are always fragile, even when they are rich, after helping them with first aids and eventually hospital, they need all the love to survive. If you find yourself in a position to reach out and offer support then do all you can to.

A fire accident victim may loose properties, their mind, part of their skin or all of it. All these need a lot to be recovered completely or to a large extent.

Treating major burns

Until emergency help arrives:

• Protect the burned person from further harm. If you can do so safely, make sure the person you’re helping is not in contact with the source of the burn. For electrical burns, make sure the power source is off before you approach the burned person. Don’t try to remove clothing stuck in the burn.
• Make certain that the person burned is breathing. If needed, begin rescue breathing if you know how.
• Remove jewelry, belts and other tight items, especially from the burned area and the neck. Burned areas swell quickly.
• Cover the burn. Loosely cover the area with gauze or a clean cloth.
• Raise the burned area. Lift the wound above heart level if possible.
• Watch for signs of shock. Signs and symptoms include cool, clammy skin, weak pulse and shallow breathing.

Treating minor burns

For minor burns:

• Cool the burn. Hold the area under cool (not cold) running water for about 10 minutes. If the burn is on the face, apply a cool, wet cloth until the pain eases. For a mouth burn from hot food or drink, put a piece of ice in the mouth for a few minutes.
• Remove rings or other tight items from the burned area. Try to do this quickly and gently, before the area swells.
• Don’t break blisters. Blisters help protect against infection. If a blister does break, gently clean the area with water and apply an antibiotic ointment.
• Apply lotion. After the burn is cooled, apply a lotion, such as one with aloe vera or cocoa butter. This helps prevent drying and provides relief.
• Bandage the burn. Cover the burn with a clean bandage. Wrap it loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the area, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.
• If needed, take a nonprescription pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

Tips to prevent fire accidents

1. Get your gas cylinder checked when it is delivered and get the pipeline checked regularly
2. Get the wiring in your home checked in case of water damage or leaks
3. Make sure your appliances are working properly
4. Stop smoking or be careful with smoking accessories