In the wake of the tragic inferno, as usual, there would be condemnations, prayers, lamentations and public discourse of the tragedy for a few weeks and then, it will take back stage when another tragedy hits.
That is a usual pattern. Same with trial of looters: Noise making, arraignment, brief detention, adjournment, bail and END. Dariye and the other governor are exemptions. Dimeji Bankole, Ibori, Alams, Isa Yuguda et al are there.
The carnage that happened is an everyday hazard waiting to become an incident. To fully understand fire, let us hit the start button.
Three elements are needed to start a fire: Fuel, Heat and Air.
Fuel is generic. It represents that which can burn. In houses, it is wood, furniture, clothes, appliances etc. These are classified as free burning, solid materials; Class A fire. For this, dousing with water to lower the temperature may succeed in quenching the fire, with some other things taken into consideration.
Class B is liquid fuel, petrol, diesel, kerosene, base oil and the likes. Plain water will only spread it. CO2 (Carbon dioxide) gas can extinguish it in the early stages by cutting off the air, oxygen. Dry chemical powder or foam would do same thing, cut off air supply.
Class C is Gas Fire. The danger here is the rate of spread. It may not be obvious like in a kitchen where the gas valve has been left open. There could be an accompanying explosion.
Back to Fuel, especially petrol. This substance is inflamable and explosive. Petrol is sandwiched between liquid and gas because the fumes from petrol can ignite without a direct contact between heat or spark with the liquid.
What do these mean?
A) A single drop of petrol on the road from a tanker followed by a spark from a faulty engine will be enough. Even a spark from a nail or chain on the road could start a fire.
B) A spark from the diesel engine could start the chain.
C) Excessive heat from the sun could trigger a fire if the right controls are not in place.
The emphasis now goes to the tankers:
A) Are they road worthy? NO. A good engine would never stall on the crest of a hill and roll back.
B) Brake failure is not as a result of witchcraft but an avoidable mechanical failure.
C) Overturning or capsizing, except when there are gulleys on the road, are preventable.
D) A drunk or tired driver would have impaired sense of judgement. Remember, driving is different from a memo in the office or repair work that could be tested or supervised. The driver has to take the decision there and then within seconds. Application of brake, turning the steering wheel, swerving etc had to be there and then. There is no one or time to ask.
E) The state of the vehicle
Are the tyres having the correct depth of thread?
Are the suspension springs and dampers good?
Are the brake lining or pads still able to grip and slow or stop the tyres rolling?
Are the mechanical systems of hydraulic or pneumatic systems that control the brakes effective?
Most of us already know that 95% of trucks on our roads are not roadworthy. Look no further than the black smoke from the exhaust, an evidence of incomplete combustion.
Certificate of Roadworthiness, MOT in UK is a control measure intended to keep out rickety vehicles off the road.
An accident happens when all control measures (barriers) fail and the holes align resulting in a top event (accident). They are never isolated incidents.
After the top event, you talk about remedial measures e.g. extinguisher, emergency procedures et al.
Where are they?
Fire services are non existent in most states. Hydrants cannot work where the public water supply is non existent. If water was available, chemical foam might not be available and dry chemical powder is beyond the reach of most services.
Yesterday, the holes align. A careless driver conveying dangerous (highly inflammable) goods in a rickety vehicle albeit on a fairly good road overturned, spilling PMS, Premium Motor Spirit, or Petrol. Another source, whatever it was, supplied the heat or spark. The recovery measures were inadequate. Even if fire engines emerge, there were no hydrants. All the onlookers could do was weep, pray, look, wail and record the catastrophe.
Has this happened before? Severally. Ife, Ibadan, Lagos, Ogere, Port Harcourt...
Will it happen again? Yes.
Until those who cut corners as well as their collaborators realise they or their family members could become victims and abide by the rules, we would continue to witness the horrors or harvest of death on our roads, homes, schools and public life. Yesterday, no governor or senator (SINator) caught in the inferno could have survived.
We cannot pray away incompetence. Our football players prayed at half time but God did not prevent Rojas from scoring the winning goal. Should God reward the indolent and unprepared at the expense of the diligent? No. He only promised to bless the works of our hands!
Success is a result of preparation and proper execution. Desire is not enough. Only the five virgins that were prepared went with the bridegroom.
My heart ache is that this could have been any of us or our loved ones... SINators will make noise but stab Nigerians by cutting the budget of meaningful projects in order to line their pockets.
Shall we continue like this?
Yinka Adeosun is a member of the Solidarity Action Network. This was first shared on the group's forum. Edited and posted here by Anne Muyiwa.
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