Heartbroken! Fire in Zigong, Sichuan kills 16 people! How to escape from a fire in a crowded place?

On July 18, the Ecological Environment and Emergency Management Bureau of Zigong High-tech Zone, Sichuan Province, issued a report: The rescue work at the scene of the "July 17" fire accident in Jiuding Building, Zigong City , ended at 3 a.m. on July 18, and there were no trapped people at the scene. The fire caused 16 deaths, and the injured were properly treated.

According to preliminary investigation, the fire accident was caused by construction work . The specific situation is under further investigation. The follow-up work is in progress.

Image source: CCTV News

What are the dangers of shopping mall fires?

1. The shopping mall has a large business area, and the spaces on each floor are connected from top to bottom, which can easily cause the fire to spread.

2. There are many flammable commodities, which can easily cause major economic losses.

3. Shopping malls have large gatherings of people and large flow of people, which can easily cause serious casualties.

4. There are many electrical lighting devices, and there are many factors that may lead to fire.

5. It is difficult to extinguish the fire.

If a fire suddenly breaks out in a crowded place, how should you escape correctly?

How to escape at different stages of a fire?

01 Find and use escape routes

Look for the exit by looking at the sign : Escape in the direction of the arrow on the evacuation sign to find the safe exit. Evacuation signs are usually set on the wall or ground at the evacuation corridor and its corners .

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Stairs, passages, emergency exits, etc. are the most important escape routes in case of fire. You should remain calm and follow the instructions of the staff, evacuate in an orderly manner, and avoid crowding and trampling.

Avoid thick smoke : There are a lot of flammable and combustible goods and decorative materials in the mall. If a fire occurs, it is easy to produce toxic smoke, causing suffocation and poisoning . If you must pass through a thick smoke area during evacuation, you can wear an air respirator or cover your mouth and nose with a wet towel and keep a low posture.

If there is no way to escape, you should actively seek shelter, such as going to the refuge floor of a super high-rise building or the rooftop platform of a building to wait for rescue, and at the same time make a phone call to inform your location.

02 Choose an escape strategy based on the situation

Evacuate quickly when the fire is small : If the fire is small and the escape route is unobstructed, evacuate to a safe area quickly.

Seek shelter when the fire is large : If the fire is large and the escape route is blocked, you should quickly return to the room or find other shelters, such as the bathroom, block the door gaps with wet towels and other items, and wait for rescue.

Use escape tools : In an emergency, you can use ropes, sheets, curtains and other items to make simple escape tools and escape from windows or balconies. However, please note that this method has certain risks and should be used with caution.

03 Six Don’ts when escaping from a fire. Remember them!

Don't panic : When a fire occurs, you should first stay calm and don't panic, which will help you make correct judgments and actions. Observe the spread of fire and smoke, judge the location of the fire and the size of the fire, so as to choose the best escape route.

Don't jump blindly : When escaping from a high-rise building, don't jump blindly to avoid causing unnecessary casualties.

Do not take the elevator : In the event of a fire, the elevator may be unusable due to power outages or malfunctions, or even become a passage for smoke, so you should use the stairs to escape.

Do not open the door at will : When there is a fire outside, if the door is hot, do not open the door to prevent the fire from rushing into the room. Use wet blankets, clothes, etc. to block the doors and windows, and pour water to cool down.

Don't be greedy for property : If you are in danger, you should evacuate as soon as possible, and don't waste the best escape time because of your valuables. After successfully escaping from the fire, do not return to the fire scene to take your property.

Do not block the evacuation passage : The evacuation passage is an important route for fire escape. Blocking the evacuation passage will hinder escape and rescue work.

While waiting for rescue, you can attract the attention of rescuers by shouting for help, waving cloth, knocking on metal objects, throwing soft objects, etc.; at night, you can use flashlights, emergency lights and other luminous objects to send signals.

Entering crowded places

Please pay attention to the location of emergency exits and fire extinguishers

Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes

Don't panic, escape scientifically!

Comprehensive sources: Ministry of Emergency Management, CCTV News, Beijing Fire Department, etc.