According to the Costa Rican Fire Department electrical failures were the main cause of structural fires last year, accounting for 34% of the fire-related emergencies.
2016 ended with 1,064 fires that killed 18 people, whereas in the first 8 days of this year there are already 17 registered emergencies and one deceased person.
The other most common causes are: failures in electrical devices (17,7%), gas leaks (12.2%), use of candles (8.2%) or welding work (6.2%).
The Fire Department is currently investigating if a fault in the electrical system caused the fire that took the life of a 37-year old man in El Roble de Alajuela on Sunday.
Here are some recommendations from the Fire Department:
– Do not smoke in bed. It is a major cause of death from home fires.
– Do not overload the electrical system.
– Electrical installations must be piped. In addition, they must have grounding devices (lines and sockets) and be checked at least once a year by a professional.
– Do not use damaged or old cables.
– Do not store flammable liquids near electrical appliances.
– Always keep lighters and matches out of children’s reach
– Read the instructions of heat producing appliances (room dehumidifier, portable heating equipment, vaporizers) and move them away from any combustible material. These devices must be disconnected when no one is in the house.
– If you use gas for cooking, ideally the cylinder should be outside the house, in a ventilated place, with a secure connection with special piping for gas or copper tubing. Remember that what you are handling is liquefied petroleum gas, so the hose or pipe must be secured with special presses to prevent leakage.