Each year, rising temperatures in Qatar translate into an uptick in fires. According to government figures, the nation sees far mores blazes in the hot summer months than any other time of year.
To keep yourself safe, the Ministry of Interior shared the following tips on Facebook this week:
- Don’t run your AC non-stop. Air conditioners in Qatar sometimes catch on fire because the constant swirling dust can settle over electrical components, which could cause an overload and generate excess heat, leading to fire.
- Take your car in for regular service. Most car fluids are flammable, so when heat and electrical sparks combine with anything that’s leaking, fires can start. Make sure your vehicle is well-maintained by having the battery checked, and the car examined for any electrical problems, oil or fluid leaks and/or rapid changes in fuel level or engine temperature.
- Close gas cylinders properly. MOI states that gas fires are considered one of the most dangerous types of fires. Indeed, a pizza oven whose gas had been left on overnight is said to have caused a deadly blast in February that killed 11 people. Make sure your cannisters are tightly closed and stored away from sunlight.
- Double-check electrical appliances and outlets. Electrical fires are among the common types of blazes in Qatar, due to poor wiring in many homes. Avoid overloading outlets by plugging in only one high-wattage appliance into a socket at a time.
Previously, MOI also advised residents to unplug non-essential electrical appliances before going to bed or leaving for vacation, and to avoid leaving exhaust fans running continuously because it raises the temperatures of the wires.
What tips would you add? Thoughts?
Here are my tips:
Don’t buy cheap, usually Chinese piece of crap electrical fittings and appliances.
Don’t overload electrical sockets.
Don’t leave pots and pans on the stove unattended, especially if there is oil involved.
And, if worst comes to worst, make sure you keep a well maintained fire extinguisher in your home and car.
Common sense helps a lot in fire safety.
you sir get my vote up
Don’t fill your gas tanks to full. The fuel in the Tanks at the gas station are underground and are cooled. Once it enters your car and sits there for hours on end while your car is stationary and in the sun the gas expands. If there is no where for the gas to go it may cause an explosion. Fill to 3/4 or 4/5 to allow the gas in the tank to expand safely.
All car gas tanks have safety vents installed to allow the fumes to escape.
Too many fires in Qatar for them all to be accidents. Pay a guy 600 QR a month and then don’t pay him for three months so his family start to struggle back home and he has no options against his sponsor as the courts will not support him against a powerful man. So what options does he have? Burning down the building he has been working on for the last 12 months but not been paid for for three seems like revenge.
Or employing electricians who are not electricians at all is fraught with danger, but hey its cheap.
Partioned villas and flats and the dividing and sub dividing of residential places over and over again is another serious hazard and its like waiting for a major disaster to happen at such places
Oh and don’t smoke at Gas stations…………………….everywhere.
and turn your car off when gassing up
I’ve yelled at people in my car whom had the nerve to tell me to keep my car running while I gas it up. Don’t like it, start walking!
The use of common sense… got it!
walked into a little indian store.. with little indian shop keepers… saw the fire alarams and extinguisher had plastic wrapping.. he told me once the civil defense finished they’re checks they wrap them up once again to keep them new! i asked what happens if a real fire breaks out.. they said “no problem.. no fire..” i asked what if they’re were spot checks… got the head tilt..
naturally i called in the civil defense and reported it…. working years on rigs and production facilities taught me the importance of fire safety …
It’s not about having a “new” smoke detector, but a working one. Akh, my biggest pet peeve are humans whom lack common sense.
Can someone please point out how to contact civil defense? Their contact numbers either do not work or are never answered…