Deadly fire sweeps Ecuador club

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Title – Deadly fire sweeps Ecuador club
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 20th April 2008

Much as people ridicule health & safety officers and procedures here in the UK as over-zealous, there is good reason for the vast majority of the rules we have in place and enforcement ensures that as far as is possible we are protected from rogue operators and from those whose ignorance puts us unwittingly in danger. We are educated to follow certain procedures that protect us from harm.

Ask anyone what they will do when sitting in a public premises un the UK in the event of a fire and most will give you the same answer, they point towards the door they came in through as they way they would exit. Ask them what they would do were that exit blocked and most will start to look up and around for the little green ‘running man’ fire exit sign and indicate that they would leave through that exit. But very few would appreciate how effective these simple EU wide measures are in protecting life.

Fire has always been a part of our environment, since the stone age when we first learned to capture it and use it to our advantage, but we have never fully managed to control it. Unfortunately fire still causes thousands of deaths each year in all sorts of different ways; forest fire, brush fire and fires in urban areas and buildings. Nightclub fires are not uncommon and due to the nature of these premises the results can be tragic.

In this case a fire in a club in Ecuador has resulted in the deaths of 15 and serious injuries to a further 35 people and unfortunately it is not an altogether uncommon feature of these venues in developing countries. It is equally worrying that fires are reasonably common in lodgings in developing countries, from hostels to hotels. Often cursory fire safety measures are in place to satisfy local rules and laws, but these procedures are not wholly understood or enforced by staff.

In tragedy after tragedy at nightclubs the same basic mistake is the cause of high fatality rates they build fire exits and then lock them!

Go back to our scenario earlier, we are taught to follow the directions from an early age, we hear a fire alarm and we look for an exit sign and follow it; but if that sign leads us to a locked fire door we are trapped and by the time we realise, it can often already be too late. Not only are fire safety regulations often ignored in some developing countries but buildings may not be built to the same standard with the same fire protection or are built of materials that are highly flammable.

As travellers we need to be aware of these deficiencies, we need to take particular care when choosing accommodation or when visiting venues that may be difficult to get out of in the event of a fire or similar emergency.

Recently in the Philippines, I left my hotel room in Manila, came down 5 stories and into the lobby only to find it full of smoke and several fire engines outside fighting a fire. It was clearly serious, but no one had considered sounding the alarm or calling the rooms. Good fortune rather than best practice saved me and the other guests that day.

Just doing a few simple checks before you start can give you a huge advantage when things go wrong. You will simply not always find places that meet the standards we expect at home, but never be scared or embarrassed to say ‘no’ when those standards slip too far and become risks. When you book a room, take 5 minutes to walk around and have a look at where you are. Check how you would leave if you needed to and importantly how you would leave if your original route is blocked; try and get a room away from the high risk areas like generator and kitchens; and when going out steer clear of venues that are clearly unsafe for the number of people they let in and again check out your exits in advance so that it is second nature how to get out. That often means having a quick look at the outside of a fire door to make sure it is not blocked or locked. Generally if you notice that fire doors or escape routes are blocked or locked it is a good indication that fire safety is a low priority and it may be time to choose a different venue for your night out. There is no need to be paranoid, but there is a need to be safe.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop provides practical safety and cultural awareness advice to those planning to travel. We examine accommodation and personal safety issues in the countries you are visiting. Paranoia can ruin a trip but sensible and easy to follow steps can allow you to enjoy your travels more, with the peace of mind it offers.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.