When risk lives in the neighborhood: in Gomel, rescuers raided dangerous addresses

Behind the panel partitions of high-rise buildings, not only a wonderful neighbor can live, but also one who causes constant anxiety for life. Heavy smokers and lovers of drinks of different degrees are among the highest fire hazard risks in the housing stock and beyond. According to the deputy HEAD of the Gomel regional department Alexander Merkulov, due to careless handling of fire while smoking, 237 fires occurred in the region in 2022, in which 64 people died. Almost every one of them - in 90% of cases - was drunk. Since the beginning of this year, more than 15 fires have occurred due to careless handling of fire while smoking, and there are also deaths. Preventive measures are being taken in the region within the framework of the republican action "Safety in every home". Rescuers use all possible formats of prevention, including outdoor film viewing, interactive activities and workshops. A BelTA correspondent also joined one of these raids.

All rescuers without exception are sure of this. The head of the propaganda center of the Gomel regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Denis Kryuk, draws a direct logical relationship, which sounds like an axiom: giving up smoking and ALCOHOL will reduce the number of fires and people killed by them. After all, it is often those who abuse alcohol and are ready to smoke even in their sleep that become the defendants in the reports of the Ministry of Emergencies.

The preventive team is supplemented by representatives of REU-23 of the Soviet district of Gomel. They have the most up-to-date list of alarming addresses, where there is information about people who abuse alcohol.

On the way on the street we notice a woman who clearly leads a nomadic lifestyle in the city. Rescuers head straight for her. She is glad for attention, she quickly joins in a conversation about the difficulty of her life.

According to her, lately she has often been in one of the garage-building cooperatives. There is a company of acquaintances with whom they discuss painful things over a cigarette or two. A recent case led to the topic of safety - because of a cigarette butt, her jacket caught fire. "I woke up and put it out," the mistress of her life says with calmness and self-esteem, bordering on conviction in personal heroism.

Rescuers explain the risks of such hobbies and lifestyle, remind the city dweller of the safety rules and hand out a memo.

The owner of the first dangerous apartment was at home. A man opens the door - and literally from the threshold, a burnout on the linoleum near the bed, a melted leg on a stool, catches the eye.

As it turned out, a fire broke out in the apartment a few days ago. The man was installed a TV set-top box, given instructions, which he studied while smoking and put it aside in half-asleep. Then he fell asleep, the cigarette butt fell on the instructions, the paper caught fire. “The whole entrance was in smoke. Neighbors told how scary it was. And he was very scared,” the man admits. Conclusions made. Now, as the man assures, he smokes only in the kitchen for several days. This is confirmed by numerous burnouts from abandoned matches and cigarette butts on linoleum.

Rescuers patiently explain to the townspeople all the dangers of such a habit. They warned him: if words fail to help him, he will have to resort to administrative measures - a fine. A man has his own position on this: more than he himself, no one will punish him. Like, he's his own teacher.

Representatives of various services inspected the rooms, studied the serviceability of electrical components in household use. Pointed out the defects in the sockets. The 65-year-old owner proudly declares that he knows this, because he is an electrician with eight years of experience. True, he is not going to repair sockets. He says there are special services for this.

A big conversation from representatives of the rescue service reminded the owner of the apartment about all the rules.

The second apartment marked "in the zone of special attention" is in the same entrance. A man with an adult daughter and son-in-law lives on the 9th floor. According to the latter, the eldest member of the family collects and brings bottles home. And the rescuers have doubts: it is unlikely that the container is delivered to the apartment empty.

Otherwise, there were no questions: an ashtray in the kitchen, no burnouts on the floor. True, there is a smell of tobacco in the corridor, so the residents were reminded of the responsibility for smoking in the stairwell.

We go down, a crew of law enforcement officers is already waiting in the yard, which offers to go to another address - a "beacon" on Kamyshova Street. In the house of a disabled man lives his partner. It can be seen that the house is residential, but it was not possible to catch someone on the spot. "We will control, monitor the household so that dubious companies do not gather," the rescuers take control of the house.

Then the raid group goes to the recycling center. Citizens with a difficult life line often gather here.

They have a special conversation. The theme is the same - safety. It is important for rescuers to choose the right words so that after the meeting, what was voiced does not dissipate like clouds of cigarette smoke.

About ten people gathered at the recycling point at that time. Especially for them, like a piano from the bushes, a monitor appears on the table. A film about the tragic consequences of smoking and alcohol abuse was broadcast in a makeshift open-air cinema.

Such shock therapy has a visible effect on the spot. It reads on the faces of the audience. Rescuers hope that the effect will last for a long time, strengthening the instinct of self-preservation.

Unlike the heroes of the film, one of the men who came to the point shared his story with a happy ending. He has a very reverent, respectful attitude towards people in the form of firefighters. He says that they have become truly family. It turns out that he has already come out alive three times from a literally hot situation. Three times there was a fire due to an unextinguished cigarette. Grateful to the rescuers and the guardian angel, but admits: "I understand everything with my mind, but bad habits are stronger." The man promised, at least verbally, that he would never let that happen again.

To put the theory into practice, collectors of recyclables are offered a master class on extinguishing fires. In minutes, several sites appear. At the moment, paper and rags light up in a makeshift mini-house. Those present are invited to try out the primary means of fire extinguishing - fire extinguishers.

"Rescuers" in civilian clothes, with the help of tips from professionals, are trying to cope with the fire. So some of the townspeople have a little more experience in eliminating emergencies of cigarette origin.

However, it is more important for employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to prevent such fires in principle, so citizens are offered to test their dexterity and accuracy in the Anti-Smoking Darts competition. A little exercise for strength of mind and perseverance should help throwing a cigarette. Smokers still throw the tobacco accessory, representing the rejection of addiction.

As Denis Kryuk emphasized, such work is very important. “There is always hope that someone will draw the proper conclusions from such meetings. To do this, we think over a variety of formats, explain as clearly as possible. In any case, we will periodically remind citizens of this category about the rules of life safety. These addresses and people are under constant control, because they create a risk not only for their own lives, but also for those around them," he concluded.

BelTA,

photo of the Gomel Regional Department of Emergency Situations.