Preface

An important saying is "precaution is better than cure". The awareness of past and present adverse situations caused by fire outbreaks that have and are affecting living organisms directly or indirectly is mandatory for developing future preventive measures.

Fire is considered to be a natural calamity, but in recent years it is most likely caused by human error. Awareness and improvement in prevention protocols is of prime importance for sustainability. Human development and other unplanned activities have further increased fire tragedies. The increased population and economic burden have also led to the construction of more confined and populated buildings, small utility spaces as well as narrow exit routes. Literature surveys and case studies are symbolic proof of the destructive ability of man-made or natural fire eruptions worldwide.

Advanced fire or smoke sensors, use of particular construction material, evacuation plans for a sudden fire, installation of fire protection measures, and study of previous fire incidents are the keys to establishing awareness among professional and everyday people. In this regard, computation modelling and simulations have helped the analysts to prepare future housing projects or study previous fatal events in great depth. Under fixed parameters, recent technological advancements have made it possible to analyze and rectify the past or probable future fatal events caused by unwanted fire eruptions.

This book comprises seven chapters discussing few important aspects helpful in establishing safety against accidental fires and promoting awareness against them. The book discusses the improved construction strategies and ventilation designed to prevent accidents during emergency fires. Evacuation strategies and effects of external parameters (outdoor wind) on smoke are discussed using specific case modelling. Specific past events caused by fire have also been studied using numerical modelling to understand the disastrous scenario and improve the precautionary methods.

This book will be helpful to students, researchers, and other related professionals working in the field of fire prevention or management sections.

The efforts of all the authors, contributors, and technical staff of IntechOpen, with special thanks to Ms. Dajana Pemac, Author Service Manager, have greatly helped in finalizing the book compilation.

> **Fahmina Zafar** Jamia Millia Islamia, India

**Anujit Ghosal** Beijing Institute of Technology, China

**1**

Section 1

Introduction

Section 1 Introduction

**3**

**Chapter 1**

**1. Brief introduction**

Introductory Chapter: Fire

A few decades back, the incidents of fire were regarded as natural calamity and were treated as such with very little thought on other aspects. However, in-depth analysis of most of the recent accidental fire tragedies indicates the human fingerprints such as deforestation, cigarette, firecrackers, static fire in forest at night or other similar incidences [1–3]. The frequency and extent of loss in life or economic damages have been increasing along with the population growth. So, to check the catastrophic misfortunate instances of fire and controlling the after-effects, stringent rules must be followed [4–6]. Broadly, the rules can be divided in three categories as shown in the **Figure 1**. In most of the places, fire safety and management protocols are common with slight modification based on the environmental conditions. These systems are adopted throughout the world, however, more strictly followed at flammable industries (oil, gas, paint, paper, etc.) while considered being little lenient at household vicinities [7, 8]. The increased population with constant high pressure on the economic backbone of numerous countries has altered the previous protection protocols [9–11]. The high cost of living has resulted in a more congested neighborhood *i.e.* population density particularly in the urban areas is constantly increasing [12, 13]. A collective approach is needed to avoid mistakes via., focusing on the fundamental area of management and planning. **Figure 2** represents the basic blocks involved in planning and management section for any construction.

Any small mishap such as an electric short circuit, heating system malfunction, barbeques, candles, or similar incidences at one place will affect the entire or adjacent community other than environmental contamination. Apart from the prevention of fire incidence, defined safety measures can save lives after the occurrence of such accidental events. Various approaches have been followed for the management of fire

vi.Avoid cluttering the areas which can inhibit the fire extinguish mechanisms.

vii.Recording alteration, submission, and safekeeping of building/factory

preventions at the fundamental level. A few of them are presented below:

ii.Routine inspections of doorways and exit passages

iv.Maintenance of sprinklers or other extinguishers

v.Keep track of the exact number of occupants

iii.Conducting regular practice drills for fire evacuations

i.Planning escape route

blueprints

Prevention Strategies

*Anujit Ghosal and Fahmina Zafar*

#### **Chapter 1**

## Introductory Chapter: Fire Prevention Strategies

*Anujit Ghosal and Fahmina Zafar*

#### **1. Brief introduction**

A few decades back, the incidents of fire were regarded as natural calamity and were treated as such with very little thought on other aspects. However, in-depth analysis of most of the recent accidental fire tragedies indicates the human fingerprints such as deforestation, cigarette, firecrackers, static fire in forest at night or other similar incidences [1–3]. The frequency and extent of loss in life or economic damages have been increasing along with the population growth. So, to check the catastrophic misfortunate instances of fire and controlling the after-effects, stringent rules must be followed [4–6]. Broadly, the rules can be divided in three categories as shown in the **Figure 1**.

In most of the places, fire safety and management protocols are common with slight modification based on the environmental conditions. These systems are adopted throughout the world, however, more strictly followed at flammable industries (oil, gas, paint, paper, etc.) while considered being little lenient at household vicinities [7, 8]. The increased population with constant high pressure on the economic backbone of numerous countries has altered the previous protection protocols [9–11]. The high cost of living has resulted in a more congested neighborhood *i.e.* population density particularly in the urban areas is constantly increasing [12, 13]. A collective approach is needed to avoid mistakes via., focusing on the fundamental area of management and planning. **Figure 2** represents the basic blocks involved in planning and management section for any construction.

Any small mishap such as an electric short circuit, heating system malfunction, barbeques, candles, or similar incidences at one place will affect the entire or adjacent community other than environmental contamination. Apart from the prevention of fire incidence, defined safety measures can save lives after the occurrence of such accidental events. Various approaches have been followed for the management of fire preventions at the fundamental level. A few of them are presented below:


**Figure 1.** *Three broad categories of the fire protection activities.*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Basics steps involved in fire protection of any construction.*

#### **2. Comprehensive views**

Although numerous prevention and fire safety manuals have been developed but with modernization redefining fire prevention protocols with time is mandatory [14–16]. However, the process of change is ever dynamic for the inclusion of new information. Incorporation of the output from upcoming research studies for avoiding miss-managements during a fire outburst and remodeling the evacuation strategies are important. The architectural improvements which can further assist the evacuation process and ease the smoke exhaustion process should always be considered. The new engineering strategies based on recent active research should be adopted in the construction of housing societies, particularly in highly populated areas [17, 18]. The implementation of fire safety protocol in pre-build structures

**5**

*Introductory Chapter: Fire Prevention Strategies DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94037*

causalities under such events.

tion against tragedic incidences [30].

improve fire safety measures.

**Acknowledgements**

Islamia, New Delhi, India.

*via.,* virtual, mathematical, or numerical modeling and studies would improve the durability as well as safety of the area. Simulation of possible fire incidences or previous fire case-studies has been known to improve the overall understanding of the incidents and pre-planning strategies [19–21]. Development of such post evacuation strategies would minimize the materialistic loss as well as can zero the

Other than the planning of construction and infrastructure skeleton, consideration of the use of specific materials in and around any place is also need to be checked [22]. Utilization of flammable materials such as plastics, oil based paints, use of cotton or storage of highly volatile chemicals seem to be a cause in many instances. Alternatively, non-flammable paints, coatings, fabrics, and construction materials like nanocomposite materials should be used [23–25]. Research on flame retardant materials and nanocomposites are also considered to be one of the alternatives against fire protection and evacuation management systems. Like coating over wooden furniture and cotton fabrics would render them less prone to fire and thus, can act as barrier during incidence of fire [26, 27]. Superhydrophobic and flame retardant tiles in kitchen and heating areas would result in reduction in possible accidents [28, 29]. Further, designing of fire-fighting robots and other engineered bots are required to be brought in lime light for protection and preven-

Finally, the strategies which can assist in improving pre, on-going, and post-fire

incident management system are more pivotal in creating a fail-safe fire protection mechanism. The research encircling different views with building modeling, escape route planning in heritage buildings and mines, construction material used and prevention protocols are critical in safe keeping future generation including wild life as well as plants. The difficulties which are created due to the excessive urbanization and population boom in addition to poor engineering or planning of residence and work places particularly near forest or wood stock areas are to be addressed. Virtual *in silico* studies and numerical simulation in analyzing as well as recreating previous fire hazardous cases would provide additional benefits in visualization of the mistakes in following then existing protocols and to further

Fahmina Zafar acknowledges Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India, for the Women Scientist Scheme (WOS) for Research in Basic/Applied Sciences, Rf# SR/WOSA/CS-97/2016 and Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia

#### *Introductory Chapter: Fire Prevention Strategies DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94037*

*Fire Safety and Management Awareness*

**4**

**2. Comprehensive views**

*Basics steps involved in fire protection of any construction.*

*Three broad categories of the fire protection activities.*

**Figure 2.**

**Figure 1.**

Although numerous prevention and fire safety manuals have been developed but with modernization redefining fire prevention protocols with time is mandatory [14–16]. However, the process of change is ever dynamic for the inclusion of new information. Incorporation of the output from upcoming research studies for avoiding miss-managements during a fire outburst and remodeling the evacuation strategies are important. The architectural improvements which can further assist the evacuation process and ease the smoke exhaustion process should always be considered. The new engineering strategies based on recent active research should be adopted in the construction of housing societies, particularly in highly populated areas [17, 18]. The implementation of fire safety protocol in pre-build structures

*via.,* virtual, mathematical, or numerical modeling and studies would improve the durability as well as safety of the area. Simulation of possible fire incidences or previous fire case-studies has been known to improve the overall understanding of the incidents and pre-planning strategies [19–21]. Development of such post evacuation strategies would minimize the materialistic loss as well as can zero the causalities under such events.

Other than the planning of construction and infrastructure skeleton, consideration of the use of specific materials in and around any place is also need to be checked [22]. Utilization of flammable materials such as plastics, oil based paints, use of cotton or storage of highly volatile chemicals seem to be a cause in many instances. Alternatively, non-flammable paints, coatings, fabrics, and construction materials like nanocomposite materials should be used [23–25]. Research on flame retardant materials and nanocomposites are also considered to be one of the alternatives against fire protection and evacuation management systems. Like coating over wooden furniture and cotton fabrics would render them less prone to fire and thus, can act as barrier during incidence of fire [26, 27]. Superhydrophobic and flame retardant tiles in kitchen and heating areas would result in reduction in possible accidents [28, 29]. Further, designing of fire-fighting robots and other engineered bots are required to be brought in lime light for protection and prevention against tragedic incidences [30].

Finally, the strategies which can assist in improving pre, on-going, and post-fire incident management system are more pivotal in creating a fail-safe fire protection mechanism. The research encircling different views with building modeling, escape route planning in heritage buildings and mines, construction material used and prevention protocols are critical in safe keeping future generation including wild life as well as plants. The difficulties which are created due to the excessive urbanization and population boom in addition to poor engineering or planning of residence and work places particularly near forest or wood stock areas are to be addressed. Virtual *in silico* studies and numerical simulation in analyzing as well as recreating previous fire hazardous cases would provide additional benefits in visualization of the mistakes in following then existing protocols and to further improve fire safety measures.

#### **Acknowledgements**

Fahmina Zafar acknowledges Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India, for the Women Scientist Scheme (WOS) for Research in Basic/Applied Sciences, Rf# SR/WOSA/CS-97/2016 and Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.

*Fire Safety and Management Awareness*

## **Author details**

Anujit Ghosal1,2\* and Fahmina Zafar2

1 School of Lifesciences, Beijing Institute of Sciences, Beijing, PRC

2 Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

\*Address all correspondence to: anujit.ghosal@outlook.com

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

**7**

*Introductory Chapter: Fire Prevention Strategies DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94037*

> [10] M. McNamee, B. Meacham, P. van Hees, L. Bisby, W. Chow, A. Coppalle, R. Dobashi, B. Dlugogorski, R. Fahy, C. Fleischmann, IAFSS agenda 2030 for a fire safe world, Fire Safety Journal, 110

[11] M. de Torres Curth, L. Ghermandi, V. Zimmerman, Living in a world of fire: the population dynamics of Mulinum spinosum in Northwestern Patagonia grasslands, Plant Ecology, (2020) 1-12.

[12] A.A. Sheeba, R. Jayaparvathy, Performance modeling of an intelligent emergency evacuation system in buildings on accidental fire occurrence, Safety science, 112 (2019) 196-205.

[13] A. Chakraborty, R. Devnath, Fire crisis Management-cesc's experience as Distribution Utility, Water and Energy

[14] T. Deave, A. Hawkins, A. Kumar, M. Hayes, N. Cooper, M. Watson, J. Ablewhite, C. Coupland, A. Sutton, G. Majsak-Newman, Evaluating implementation of a fire-prevention injury prevention briefing in children's centres: Cluster randomised controlled trial, PLoS One, 12 (2017) e0172584.

[15] M.-Y. Cheng, K.-C. Chiu, Y.-M. Hsieh, I.-T. Yang, J.-S. Chou, Y.-W. Wu, BIM integrated smart monitoring technique for building fire prevention and disaster relief, Automation in Construction, 84 (2017) 14-30.

[16] Littlewood J. Smart Fire

Performance-Assessment of Occupant Safety in Specialised Dwellings, in: International Conference on

Sustainability in Energy and Buildings. Cham: Springer; 2018. pp. 435-444

[17] W. Węgrzyński, P. Sulik, The philosophy of fire safety engineering in the shaping of civil engineering development, Bulletin of the polish

International, 62 (2020) 15-21.

(2019) 102889.

[1] M.J. van Marle, R.D. Field, G.R. van der Werf, I.A.E. de Wagt, R.A. Houghton, L.V. Rizzo, P. Artaxo, K. Tsigaridis, Fire and deforestation dynamics in Amazonia (1973-2014), Global biogeochemical cycles, 31 (2017)

[2] A. Patrão, Human and Social Dimensions of Wildland Fire Management and Forest Protection.

Restoration, 21 (2020) 73.

University, 2020.

(2017) 190-204.

(2016) 781-785.

biotechnology, (2018).

[4] W. Zeńczak, A. Krystosik-Gromadzińska, Improvements to a fire safety management system, Polish Maritime Research, 26 (2019) 117-123.

[5] H.M. Dijmarescu, Prometheus's Blind Spot: Invoking Rules and Political Histories of Fire, in, Northwestern

Engineering. London: IntechOpen; 2019

[8] C. Chen, G. Reniers, Risk assessment of processes and products in industrial

[9] W. Knorr, A. Arneth, L. Jiang, Demographic controls of future global fire risk, Nature Climate Change, 6

[7] Y. Khalil, A probabilistic visualflowcharting-based model for consequence assessment of fire and explosion events involving leaks of flammable gases, Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 50

[6] Aspragathos N, Dogkas E, Konstantinidis P, Koutmos P, Lamprinou N, Moulianitis VC, et al. From pillars to AI technology-based Forest fire protection systems. In: Artificial Intelligence-Applications in Agriculture and Bio-System

[3] T. McDonald, Drought, fire, flood and COVID–complex systems and disruption, Ecological Management &

24-38.

**References**

*Introductory Chapter: Fire Prevention Strategies DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94037*

#### **References**

*Fire Safety and Management Awareness*

**6**

**Author details**

Anujit Ghosal1,2\* and Fahmina Zafar2

provided the original work is properly cited.

1 School of Lifesciences, Beijing Institute of Sciences, Beijing, PRC

2 Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

\*Address all correspondence to: anujit.ghosal@outlook.com

[1] M.J. van Marle, R.D. Field, G.R. van der Werf, I.A.E. de Wagt, R.A. Houghton, L.V. Rizzo, P. Artaxo, K. Tsigaridis, Fire and deforestation dynamics in Amazonia (1973-2014), Global biogeochemical cycles, 31 (2017) 24-38.

[2] A. Patrão, Human and Social Dimensions of Wildland Fire Management and Forest Protection.

[3] T. McDonald, Drought, fire, flood and COVID–complex systems and disruption, Ecological Management & Restoration, 21 (2020) 73.

[4] W. Zeńczak, A. Krystosik-Gromadzińska, Improvements to a fire safety management system, Polish Maritime Research, 26 (2019) 117-123.

[5] H.M. Dijmarescu, Prometheus's Blind Spot: Invoking Rules and Political Histories of Fire, in, Northwestern University, 2020.

[6] Aspragathos N, Dogkas E, Konstantinidis P, Koutmos P, Lamprinou N, Moulianitis VC, et al. From pillars to AI technology-based Forest fire protection systems. In: Artificial Intelligence-Applications in Agriculture and Bio-System Engineering. London: IntechOpen; 2019

[7] Y. Khalil, A probabilistic visualflowcharting-based model for consequence assessment of fire and explosion events involving leaks of flammable gases, Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 50 (2017) 190-204.

[8] C. Chen, G. Reniers, Risk assessment of processes and products in industrial biotechnology, (2018).

[9] W. Knorr, A. Arneth, L. Jiang, Demographic controls of future global fire risk, Nature Climate Change, 6 (2016) 781-785.

[10] M. McNamee, B. Meacham, P. van Hees, L. Bisby, W. Chow, A. Coppalle, R. Dobashi, B. Dlugogorski, R. Fahy, C. Fleischmann, IAFSS agenda 2030 for a fire safe world, Fire Safety Journal, 110 (2019) 102889.

[11] M. de Torres Curth, L. Ghermandi, V. Zimmerman, Living in a world of fire: the population dynamics of Mulinum spinosum in Northwestern Patagonia grasslands, Plant Ecology, (2020) 1-12.

[12] A.A. Sheeba, R. Jayaparvathy, Performance modeling of an intelligent emergency evacuation system in buildings on accidental fire occurrence, Safety science, 112 (2019) 196-205.

[13] A. Chakraborty, R. Devnath, Fire crisis Management-cesc's experience as Distribution Utility, Water and Energy International, 62 (2020) 15-21.

[14] T. Deave, A. Hawkins, A. Kumar, M. Hayes, N. Cooper, M. Watson, J. Ablewhite, C. Coupland, A. Sutton, G. Majsak-Newman, Evaluating implementation of a fire-prevention injury prevention briefing in children's centres: Cluster randomised controlled trial, PLoS One, 12 (2017) e0172584.

[15] M.-Y. Cheng, K.-C. Chiu, Y.-M. Hsieh, I.-T. Yang, J.-S. Chou, Y.-W. Wu, BIM integrated smart monitoring technique for building fire prevention and disaster relief, Automation in Construction, 84 (2017) 14-30.

[16] Littlewood J. Smart Fire Performance-Assessment of Occupant Safety in Specialised Dwellings, in: International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings. Cham: Springer; 2018. pp. 435-444

[17] W. Węgrzyński, P. Sulik, The philosophy of fire safety engineering in the shaping of civil engineering development, Bulletin of the polish

academy of sciences. Technical sciences, 64 (2016).

[18] E.K. Zavadskas, J. Antucheviciene, T. Vilutiene, H. Adeli, Sustainable decision-making in civil engineering, construction and building technology, Sustainability, 10 (2018) 14.

[19] D. Sahu, S. Kumar, S. Jain, A. Gupta, Experimental and numerical simulation studies on diesel pool fire, Fire and Materials, 40 (2016) 1016-1035.

[20] B. Lattimer, J. Hodges, A. Lattimer, Using machine learning in physicsbased simulation of fire, Fire Safety Journal, (2020) 102991.

[21] P. Ghasemi, A. Babaeinesami, Simulation of fire stations resources considering the downtime of machines: A case study, Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Studies, 7 (2020) 161-176.

[22] E.J. Sugeng, M. de Cock, P.E. Leonards, M. van de Bor, Electronics, interior decoration and cleaning patterns affect flame retardant levels in the dust from Dutch residences, Science of The Total Environment, 645 (2018) 1144-1152.

[23] K. Shikinaka, M. Nakamura, R.R. Navarro, Y. Otsuka, Non-flammable and moisture-permeable UV protection films only from plant polymers and clay minerals, Green Chemistry, 21 (2019) 498-502.

[24] W. Guo, X. Wang, J. Huang, Y. Zhou, W. Cai, J. Wang, L. Song, Y. Hu, Construction of durable flameretardant and robust superhydrophobic coatings on cotton fabrics for water-oil separation application, Chemical Engineering Journal, (2020) 125661.

[25] R. Olawoyin, Nanotechnology: The future of fire safety, Safety science, 110 (2018) 214-221.

[26] T. Ma, L. Li, Q. Wang, C. Guo, Construction of intumescent flame retardant and hydrophobic coating on wood substrates based on thiol-ene click chemistry without photoinitiators, Composites Part B: Engineering, 177 (2019) 107357.

[27] D. Lin, X. Zeng, H. Li, X. Lai, T. Wu, One-pot fabrication of superhydrophobic and flame-retardant coatings on cotton fabrics via sol-gel reaction, Journal of colloid and interface science, 533 (2019) 198-206.

[28] S. Wi, S. Yang, U. Berardi, S. Kim, Assessment of recycled ceramicbased inorganic insulation for improving energy efficiency and flame retardancy of buildings, Environment international, 130 (2019) 104900.

[29] F. Zafar, E. Sharmin, Flame Retardants. London: IntechOpen; (2019). DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.82783

Section 2

Effect of Variable Parameters

**9**

[30] S.S. Priyanka, R. Sangeetha, S. Suvedha, M.G. Vijayalakshmi, Android Controlled Fire Fighting Robot, Ineternational journal of innovative science Engg. and Technology, Volumn, 3 (2017).

Section 2
