Friday | 17 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Friday | 17 January 2025 | Epaper
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We should beware of short circuits as they could spark fire anytime  

Published : Friday, 17 January, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 98
Pranto Chatterjee
A faint humming sound accompanies everyday life in Bangladesh. It emanates from the webs of electrical wires crisscrossing homes, factories, offices, and markets. People carry on with their daily routines in the presence of this silent undercurrent of power, mostly unaware of how fragile and perilous it can be. Yet, every so often, this hum transforms into a roar of flames and frantic cries. An electrical short circuit-an unassuming spark in a labyrinth of poorly installed wires-can swiftly reduce precious lives and livelihoods to ashes. The tragedy is both heart-wrenching and, in many cases, avoidable.

When we speak of short circuits, we are talking about a situation in which two wires carrying electricity at different voltages meet in an unintended way. The current suddenly spikes, generating intense heat that melts insulation and ignites flammable materials. In a well-designed system, circuit breakers or fuses should trip when the current exceeds a safe threshold, preventing a meltdown. However, in Bangladesh, the reality is different. Substandard wiring materials, lax oversight, and rampant disregard for safety protocols create a perfect storm where short circuits become almost inevitable. Time and again, the aftermath has been catastrophic, particularly in crowded urban spaces like Dhaka and Chattogram, where entire communities can be engulfed by a blaze originating from a single faulty connection.

Take, for instance, the spate of recent fires in garment factories. The global community watched in horror as these infernos claimed the lives of workers who toiled in hazardous conditions, often with little recourse to safety equipment or training. Investigations revealed that a significant number of these incidents originated from neglected electrical systems. Wiring that could not handle the load of countless sewing machines, lights, and irons began to overheat. In some factories, even a single faulty bulb or a loose connection triggered lethal flames. These tragedies caught the world's attention, prompting foreign buyers to question the safety of Bangladeshi manufacturing facilities and forcing local authorities to promise reforms they have been slow to deliver.

Government statistics show that electrical short circuits account for a vast portion of the thousands of fires reported each year. In 2023 alone, there were 27,624 fire incidents nationwide, resulting in colossal property damage of over Tk792.36 crore. Of these incidents, more than nine thousand were directly traced to short circuits, making them the leading cause of fires, outnumbering cigarette-related or kitchen-related blazes. The human toll is horrifying: at least 102 people lost their lives that year, and many more were grievously injured. Within these data points hide harrowing personal stories-families decimated, businesses reduced to rubble, and neighborhoods scarred by smoke and despair.

It is tempting to label short circuits as "accidents," but the recurring nature of these disasters suggests something more systemic. In Bangladesh, many buildings-from modest homes to towering commercial complexes-lack adherence to the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC). This code, established decades ago, outlines meticulous standards for electrical wiring, grounding, and fire safety measures such as lightning arresters. Regrettably, either through negligence or cost-cutting measures, building owners frequently ignore these regulations, installing substandard protective devices and employing unskilled individuals to manage electrical work. Loose connections, poor insulation, overloaded circuits, and cheap wiring materials proliferate. Any single glitch in these frail networks can initiate a chain reaction of sparks, flames, and tragedy.

The need for preventative measures, therefore, cannot be overstated. Property owners must first prioritize the installation of robust protective devices, including circuit breakers and fuses. These components are designed to trip at the slightest sign of abnormal current flow. The cost of a reliable circuit breaker is negligible compared to the monumental losses caused by a fire. Professional electricians, certified and trained to follow BNBC guidelines, should be entrusted with laying or modifying electrical systems. It may be tempting to cut corners by hiring inexpensive or inexperienced workers, but the end result can be deadly. Routine inspections are equally essential. Even the most careful installation can degrade over time, especially in Bangladesh's humid climate, where damp walls lead to leakage of electricity and the gradual erosion of insulation.

Precautionary practices must also become a part of daily life. Residents should be vigilant for warning signs such as flickering lights, discolored or warm sockets, frequent fuse blowouts, or the smell of burning wires. The moment any such anomaly is detected, the main switch should be turned off, and a professional electrician called in. Modern safety tools, like Residual Current Devices (RCDs), can offer an extra layer of protection by cutting power when minimal current leakage is detected, greatly reducing the chance of electrocution or fire. In industrial and commercial settings, regular load assessments help ensure that the electrical system is not strained beyond capacity. Managers need to keep fire extinguishers on-site, train employees on how to use them, and maintain well-marked emergency exits that are kept unobstructed at all times.

But the responsibility does not rest with individuals and property owners alone. The government of Bangladesh must step up its efforts to enforce building codes and safety regulations. While the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department diligently responds to calls, their capacity remains limited without stricter oversight and punishment of violators. A more aggressive approach to building inspections, coupled with public awareness campaigns, is vital. The government could offer incentives for property owners who upgrade their wiring systems and penalize those who continue to disregard safety guidelines. Community-based outreach programs led by local authorities could help train citizens on basic electrical safety. Awareness drives in schools, universities, and workplaces could make the topic of electrical fire prevention as routine as the annual campaigns on dengue or road safety.

Civil society can also play a powerful role. Non-governmental organizations, trade bodies, and media outlets have already begun highlighting the scale of this issue, but they can do more to hold authorities and businesses accountable. Workplace safety committees and citizens' watchdog groups could demand transparency in how local corporations adhere to safety codes, and they could publish data on short-circuit incidents to keep public attention focused on the issue. By turning each fire into a call for reform rather than an isolated tragedy, Bangladesh can begin to dismantle the culture of negligence that allows short-circuit fires to repeat with such devastating frequency.

It is a sobering truth that electricity, which promises convenience and progress, can quickly become a catalyst for grief. Every year, the haunting images of charred buildings and anguished families remind us of just how fragile modern life can be. Underneath the relentless push for development lies a pressing need to ensure that basic safeguards are not ignored in the name of profit or expediency. Each neglected wire, each overlooked inspection, and each unqualified electrician raises the odds of another preventable fire. For the sake of the workers in crowded factories, the families in cramped apartments, and the children who sleep peacefully under a network of cables, Bangladesh must heed these warnings.

The ultimate tragedy is that the knowledge and technology to avert these disasters already exist. Fuses, circuit breakers, proper insulation, and regular maintenance are not elusive luxuries. They are basic steps. Training, certification, and strict adherence to safety codes are within reach if the public, private, and government sectors move in unison. The question is whether Bangladesh will rise to meet this challenge, or continue to bury its dead and rebuild its burned-out shells, over and over again. One day, we can hope that the hum of electricity in this nation will no longer harbor the threat of flames, that it will serve only as a quiet testament to progress untinged by tragedy. By confronting the negligence and apathy that breed short-circuit fires, Bangladesh can usher in a safer future for every citizen who calls this vibrant, ever-resilient land home.

The writer is a postgraduate student in Autonomous Vehicle Engineering at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy


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