The Top 3 Causes of Fires in the Philippines and How To Prevent Them

Fire safety basics for you, your family, and your business

Back in 1966, Past-President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Proclamation No. 115-A —  a proclamation stating how each month should be devoted to a specific area of safety and accident prevention. For March, we have Fire Prevention Month.

In keeping with this month's theme, we've gone through data and news reports to figure out the biggest potential fire hazards in the country. By arming yourselves basic fire safety knowledge, you'll be able to create a safe space for you, your family, your home, or your business.

1. Electrical failure or malfunction

According to BFP public information office chief Supt. Renato Marcial, "Electrical connections are consistently at the top of the list" when it comes to fire hazards.

Basically, this boils down to how properly your electrical wirings are connected. How do you know that you should have your property's wiring fixed? Here are a couple telltale signs:
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• Dim or flickering lights when you use another appliance
• The need to disconnect one appliance or gadget to plug in another
• Frequent circuit breaker trips or fuses blowing up

Actions steps: If you notice signs such as the ones stated above, hire a licensed and professional electrician to repair or replace frayed or faulty wiring and fixtures. Also, ask for a regular checkup of your electrical installations. 

Bonus Tip

Never allow the following in your home or office to avoid appliance malfunction:

• DIY electrical projects 
• Electrical cords with loose or damaged cords/plugs
• Outlets or cords overloaded with plugs

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2. Open flames

Whether you're cooking a meal in the office pantry or trying to relax in the living room over scented candles, fire hazards are still present all around you.

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​Here are some instances you need to avoid:

• Unattended burning candles or kerosene lamps that are placed near flammable/ combustible objects
• Unattended cooking which causes most fires that occur in the kitchen. Oil starting to smoke is near the combustion point and can ignite spontaneously and cause a grease fire.

Action Steps: Blow out candles before leaving the room. Place them in a holder on a level surface and make sure to keep them far away from combustible materials and out of reach of children or pets. 

Also, make sure to keep an eye on your pan or oven. Keep LPG tanks outside your home/office or in a well-ventilated area. 

Lastly, water doesn't work on burning grease fires— it will only make it worse. Your objective, in case of a grease fire, is to cut off the flame's oxygen. You can do it by covering it with another pot, throwing salt or baking soda on it, or hitting it with a fire extinguisher.

Bonus Tip
Always keep flammable materials such as matches, lighters, and torches in places children can't reach. ​

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3. Cigarette butts

Last March 6, 2017, news of President Rodrigo Duterte signing an Executive Order on a Nationwide Smoking Ban came out, dividing the public regarding the included controversial provision prohibiting smoking indoors.

But with smoking being the fourth leading causes of fire in the Philippines, it was time we implemented laws targeting just against it.

Regardless if it gets passed or not, keep in mind the following to avoid fire hazards caused by cigarettes.

• Smokers in bed tend to become drowsy or fall asleep and forget to extinguish their cigarettes properly
• Cigarette embers or butts that can cause furniture to burn

Action Steps: If someone in your home smokes, use large and deep ashtrays. Clean the ashtrays regularly and never set them around objects that burn easily like curtains, magazines, or furniture. 

Bonus Tip

You may also prohibit smoking in places that easily catch fire such as the bedroom, the basement, or anywhere with objects that burn easily such as the ones stated above.

Think Ten Steps Ahead

Despite being ready for every fire hazard present to us, it’d still be ideal to become prepared ten steps ahead. Because no matter how much we prepare for the best, it's always still ideal to prepare for the worst. 

Not only is your home or office often your largest investment, it’s also a comfortable and safe shelter for you, your staff, or your family. In case something unfortunate does happen to you and your property, always make sure to have an action plan ready ahead of time.

Action Steps: Never forget to apply for insurance to protect your house or office. Not only can this cover fire-related accidents in your home, it’ll also cover instances like earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and even burglaries or robberies!

In addition to that, businesses can also have their inventory insured aside from their office or warehouse.

Lastly, it’s good to keep in mind that renting a property does not exclude you from considering getting fire insurance. You may not be responsible for the building you’re renting out, but it’s always safe to insure the protection of the furniture and appliances that you own.

Fire insurance is not that expensive. Keeping in mind all the hard work and effort you put into owning or renting a house, an office, of any structure, it’ll be in your best interest to spend a little to protect one of your biggest assets.

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Interested in taking out fire insurance to protect your home or business? Let us know and we’ll send you a free quote!

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