FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS AND PREVENTION OF FIRE OUTBREAK IN UNIVERSITY HOSTELS (CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
According to Huseyin and Satyen (2006), fire is necessary for the evolution of society because it has contributed significantly to human civilization. Fire, despite its positive contributions to human civilization, is a threat to human life and property (Chow, 2004). The recent fire outbreak in the country exemplifies the destructive power of fire on society. According to Ismail and Taib (2013), a fire outbreak is one of the world’s most feared calamities due to the disastrous results it produces whenever it occurs. According to Agyekum et al., another reason why fire outbreak is a feared calamity (2016). According to the author, the fire could start in any structure, including bungalows, terraces, duplexes, tenements, and high-rises. According to Hall (2000), fires in high-rise buildings When compared to other types of structures, buildings are the worst. Several studies have been conducted to determine the causes of major fire outbreaks in high-rise structures. According to Hopkin (2017), high-rise buildings have a greater stack effect, which stimulates the passage of a large volume of heat and smoke during a fire. According to Sano et al. (2017), fire outbreaks are worse in high-rise structures because the shape of the building prevents an easy escape in the event of a fire. According to Huo et al. (2016), the large number of people living in high-rise buildings contributes to fire outbreaks becoming devastating. This is because most people panic during a fire, resulting in stampedes or incorrect actions. fire. As a result, it is reasonable to conclude that the presence of a large number of people in high-rise buildings increases the severity of a fire. According to Ismail and Taib (2013), academic hostels are distinguished by the large number of people who live in such structures. Agyekum et al. (2016) provided additional information about academic hostels, determining that the majority of them are high-rise structures. Universities, polytechnics, and other educational institutions, according to Ebenehi et al. (2017), build high-rise structures to house more students in a smaller space. Global student enrollment in higher education has increased in recent years and is expected to continue to rise (Salakpi et al., 2014). As a result of this occurrence, university officials are faced with the challenge of managing a limited number of available housing units among a large number of students. Fire outbreaks are a major concern for hostel administration due to the large number of students living in a single structure (Agyekum et al., 2016). Most higher education institutions have implemented a fire safety culture to combat the threat of a fire breaking out in a dormitory (Zile, 2018). The term “fire safety” refers to the reduction of the risk of death or injury as a result of a structure fire (Hopkin, 2017). According to Chow (2004), however, the risk of being killed or injured in a fire cannot be completely eliminated. Fire safety in a building can be achieved by incorporating components. in the design that minimizes the possibility of a fire spreading as much as possible (Huo et al., 2016). Furthermore, according to Buchanan and Abu (2017), the size of a fire breakout can be reduced only if the building is designed, built, equipped, maintained, and managed with the goal of saving the occupants’ lives and property in mind. All of the preceding opinions emphasize the steps that must be taken to reduce the risk of fire from the building’s perspective while ignoring the residents. According to Nimlyat et al. (2017), a fire outbreak occurs in a structure as a result of the tenants’ irresponsibility. According to Kim et al. (2017), even a structure with state-of-the-art fire protection equipment has a high risk of fire outbreak if the tenants are negligent.
Do not follow proper fire safety procedures. To back up this claim. Tenants of a structure with a fire breakout are more likely to be injured, according to Abdullahi et al. (2017), due to their lack of understanding of fire protection practices. As a result, this study assesses fire safety procedures in students’ various halls of residence from the students’ perspective. The study will reveal the fire safety procedures at the student hostel as well as the students’ level of understanding of the fire control mechanisms in place to prevent fire spread. Students will benefit from the study’s findings regarding the significance of fire safety practices.
1.2 Problem description
A source of ignition must provide exact conditions for fire to develop. As a result of this These circumstances are unintentionally present in all structures as a result of design decisions (Kim, 2017). As a result, depending on what caused the fire, it could begin at any time in a structure. A thorough inspection of both private and public dormitories revealed that no efforts had been made to incorporate fire safety into building design. The majority of hostels have only one entrance and exit, and others have burglary proofs that make evacuating in the event of a fire difficult. No compartmentalization was used in the building design to aid in the control of fire spread. Furthermore, the density of shops in some hostels makes evacuation difficult in the event of a fire. Furthermore, the majority of the building materials used in construction
The hostels investigated are not fireproof, but will assist in the event of a fire (Kim, 2017). It is required that university administration have a fire department and fire-fighting equipment, such as water, fire extinguishers, fire trucks, and certified personnel. This is not the case, as many university administrations have put in place fire safety regulations and even preventive measures. However, several obstacles exist, including a lack of funding, student negligence, and the school administration’s casual attitude toward fire prevention and the purchase of fire equipment (Kim, 2017).
1.3 The study’s purpose
The study’s primary goal is as follows:
1. Determine whether or not there is a fire safety department.
at Maiduguri University.
2. To investigate the fire safety regulations put in place at the University of Maiduguri to prevent fire outbreaks.
3. Determine the causes of fire outbreaks in school hostels.
4. To investigate the impact of a fire outbreak in a school hostel.
1.4 Research Issues
The questions listed below have been prepared.
1) Does the University of Maiduguri have a fire safety department?
2) Are there fire safety regulations in place at the University of Maiduguri to prevent fire outbreaks?
3) What are the causes of fire outbreaks in school dormitories?
4) What are the consequences of a fire outbreak in a school hostel?
1.5 Importance of the research
This study examines Fire safety regulations and prevention
of a fire outbreak in university dorms.
This study will be important to the ministry of fire service because it will identify the need to purchase the necessary equipment to combat fire outbreaks.
This research will benefit the academic community by adding to the existing body of knowledge.
1.6 The Study’s Scope
This research focuses on fire safety regulations and fire outbreak prevention in university dorms. The study will also look into whether the University of Maiduguri has a fire safety department. The study will also look into the fire safety regulations in place at the University of Maiduguri to prevent fires from breaking out. Furthermore, the study will determine the causes of fire outbreaks in school hostels. Finally, the
The study will look into the impact of a fire outbreak in school hostels.
1.7 The study’s limitations
A number of factors hampered this study, which are as follows:
As with any other research, there are challenges, ranging from a lack of needed accurate materials on the topic under study to an inability to obtain data.
The researcher faced financial constraints in obtaining relevant materials as well as printing and collating questionnaires.
Time constraint: Another constraint is time, which makes it difficult for the researcher to shuttle between writing the research and engaging in other academic work.
1.9 Definitions of terms
Fire safety regulation refers to the planning and design of infrastructure aimed at reducing the risk of fire or impeding the spread of fire.
a fire if one does start.
Inflammable petroleum or other liquid used as a weapon of war in flamethrowers, for example, causes fire outbreaks.
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