Lack of safety main cause of fires in Oman

Muscat: Failing to maintain and update fire safety equipment is one of the main causes of fires in the Sultanate, according to experts.
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It is common for the number of fires to increase in summer, however, lack of safety precautions is the main reason behind fires, according to Oman-based insurers.
“Out of the 11 fire incident claims settled in 2015, we can say that nine were debatable claims,in which the insured had not followed safety precautions,” Philip K Philip, group chief executive officer of the Muscat Insurance Company and Muscat Life Assurance Company, told Times of Oman. “We have seen several cases of lack of safety. We advise the party to have all safety precautions in place before insuring their property. However, we can’t say no to their claim when they approach us after an accident,” Philip added.
Recently, a series of fires have occurred in different warehouses and industrial areas in Oman, damaging property and goods worth thousands of rials.
Last Friday, three fires were reported in Oman in a 24-hour period, and on Wednesday, goods worth OMR165,000 were destroyed when a fire engulfed four warehouses in Al Ansab.
According to an official from The New India Assurance office in Muscat, improved fire safety precautions could be adopted, in the interest of all concerned.
“In most cases, it has been observed that electrical wiring and cables were not tested or checked in a routine manner. Poor quality cable materials are used, which leads to such incidents. Professional and qualified technical contractors are not engaged for installing electrical works or repairing the faults,” the official at The New India Assurance said.
“There are cases where a single socket is used by many people for charging mobile, TV, audio, and more by using an extension cord, thereby increasing the load, which heats up, causing fire in the vicinity and extends all over,” the official said.
Further, according to the official, in 2015 the firm received 71 claim intimations under the fire and property insurance policy.
“The fire incidents under the property policy mostly occurred in the porta-cabins used for workers’ accommodations in various sites throughout Oman. The causes were mainly stated to be “short-circuit” in the air-conditioners, switches, electrical panels, and other areas. Overall, this is a bad risk for insuring, since it easily catches fire, even due to minor sparks, short-circuits and prevailing temperatures,” the official added.
In March, Colonel Said Al Asmi, assistant general manager for operations at the Royal Oman Police (ROP), said that fire threats remain a major challenge for establishments in Oman, especially in summer.
“The unorganised and poorly marked storage of cables and inflammable materials in many buildings raise the risk of damage by fire,” he said.
Meanwhile, another official at New India Assurance said to avoid fires, good housekeeping practices have to be implemented and maintained at all times.
“Adequate numbers of fire-fighting appliances, as recommended by the civil defence department, are installed and maintained in operating condition at all times in the insured premises,and in such a manner that they are easily accessible when needed,” the official said.
“Materials should not be kept near electrical panels, switch boards or live electrical wires, and periodic inspections of the electrical cabling and wirings should be done.”
The official added that congestion caused by stock and storing items up to roof heights should be avoided, while stock should be stored at least six inches above ground level.
According to a report by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, a fire is reported every three hours in the country, and 23 per cent of all fires are reported in residential areas.