Why fleeing a fire is more dangerous than staying at home: the smoke burns the lungs

In the event of a fire, smoke spreads rapidly.Pixabay The greatest cause of death in fires is caused by smoke. or go out to the landing of the stairs, the smoke can be deadlyFleeing is much more risky than it may seem. Sara, a 19-year-old girl injured in the Alcorcón fire, tells it well. The young woman was at home with her mother when the smoke filled everything. “That feeling of suffocation, that little by little you are running out of air and what you are breathing is gas,” she tells NIUS. They were on the sixth floor and decided to go down the stairs. Black smoke filled everything. “Wanting to go out and not being able to, not seeing anything, not knowing where to go,” she tells us in anguish. Her mother and her were lost. “I couldn’t locate her, I called her and she didn’t answer me.” To avoid a tragedy like the one this Thursday in the capital, the Firefighters of the Community of Madrid give a series of key recommendations when finding themselves in a fire in a block of floors. “Each fire is different, but there are a number of things to do that are common in 95% of fires and can save many lives,” explains Ángel Sevillano, deputy chief of the Madrid Community Fire Department. The main thing: stay at home, close the door and trust the firefighters. If the fire is not your home Call the emergency services. In the event of a fire, try to remain calm and call the 112 emergency telephone number. Do not open the doors, under any circumstances. “When there is a fire in a home, the most important thing is to bear in mind that the smoke is much more lethal than the fire itself,” explains Sevillano. Hence, the insistence of 112 and firefighters that people close doors and wait safely inside houses, because if we “close the doors to the fire” we will be confining and isolating it little by little. Cover the holes with wet towels. The most important thing is not to leave the house if there is smoke on the stairs. “You have to keep the doors of halls and stairs always closed and go to the area of ​​the house farthest from the fire. It is best to cover the gaps in the doors with wet clothes or towels. If you have any mobility problems or are sick, You have to call 112. Just like if you know a neighbor who is in that situation. Be seen from the outside. It is convenient to make signals from the window or balcony and wait for the instructions of the firemen. In case the fire is located just below your home, there is a possibility that the fire will spread through the facade. To avoid this, you have to lower the blinds and close the windows. The smoke can be deadly. Sevillano insists that you should not try to get out, the Fire Department in Community of Madrid arrive in a few minutes and it is better to wait for their instructions. Leaving the apartment and trying to go down the stairwell can be deadly. In most fires, the first thing that is flooded with smoke and It’s the stairwell, the area where everyone wants to escape. “You have to isolate yourself, but at home. The smoke is lethal.” A single breath burns the lungs. If the fire starts on the first floor or basement of a building, the fire is a long way from the upper floors, but it takes seconds for the smoke to fill everything. In addition, it is at a very high temperature that can reach 500 or 600 degrees. Therefore, it is recommended to stay at home, go out to the landing of the elevator or the stairs and take a single breath of that smoke can burn the lungs. The toxic load of smoke is very high. And not only the temperature, the smoke carries a very large toxic load, such as carbon monoxide, which causes enormous damage apart from that caused by the high temperature. In addition, the smoke can be flammable and cause explosions. “Isolate ourselves from the smoke is the main objective,” says Sevillano. Follow the recommendations. It is not necessary to encourage the rest of the neighbors to evacuate, in the event of a fire, to isolate themselves, until the firefighters arrive and thus they can follow the instructions. If the community has fire extinguishers, locate the closest one and use it if you know and can do so safely (if the fire is small) and then close the door. If the fire is in your home In the event that the fire is in your own home, the first thing is to make sure that all the inhabitants have left the house. When you leave, close doors and windows that you find on your way. First of the burned room, after the door of your house and take the keys, also the one of the stairs or hall. This will prevent the spread of the fire within your own home and to other homes. If possible, you have to close the gas taps, if you have one. It is preferable not to stop to pick up unnecessary objects. You have to warn the neighbors of the situation and never flee upwards, the heat and smoke progress upwards. Avoid using the elevators and wait for the firefighters at the main door of the building to report the situation. If you cannot leave the house, go to a room as far away from the fire as possible, closing all the doors you find along the way. This will prevent the progression of the fire. If there is a lot of smoke, advance on all fours, covering your mouth and nose. The closer to the ground you go, the less smoke you will find. If your clothes catch fire, do not run, roll on the floor to put them out. Place blankets, towels or the like, preferably wet, to prevent smoke from entering the room through the cracks of the door. Call for help from the window or balcony and wait for the instructions of the firefighters.