The report warned that carelessness, negligence and failure to maintain safety in the home were the reasons for such incidents.
It said fires constituted 56.4 percent of the incidents that took place at the homes during the school holidays and added about 39.9 percent of operations carried out by the Civil Defense teams involved rescuing children. It added incidents resulting from gas leaks accounted for only 3.7 percent of the cases.
The report said electric shortages or surges caused about 36.8 percent of fires while 9.8 percent resulted from tampering with electric connections and other home appliances.
It said only 4 percent of fires resulted from cooking accidents, while those resulting from smoking were only 0.6 percent. “This is an indication of the level of family awareness of the dangers of cooking and smoking,” the report said.
The Civil Defense noted most rescue operations carried out in Riyadh involved children being locked inside rooms or toilets. “Most rescued children were under 13. This shows the importance of closely watching children while they are at home,” the report said.
According to the report, about 33.7 percent of fire incidents took place between 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. when families were awake, while only 12.2 percent of incidents happened when families were sleeping.
The Civil Defense advised residents wishing to go on vacation to make sure fans and air conditioners are turned off, the electricity disconnected, water taps tightly shut and swimming pools and water tanks covered properly. It also asked families not to leave their pets unattended when they leave home for a long time.
The Civil Defense advised families planning to stay home during the school vacations to closely observe all safety measures. It advised families to use up-to-date and well-maintained appliances and avoid overloading sockets.
