Toddler dies in mysterious house fire in Mwingi

A four-year-old girl has died after a mysterious house fire in Kivou village while her parents sustained severe burns after their house was set on fire in Mwingi town on Saturday night.

The four-year-old girl had been rushed to the hospital where she died while being attended to at a private hospital  in Mwingi town where the elder sister and the parents where also admitted.

Recounting the incident to ‘The Standard’, one of the family members, Sammy Kioko, said they were awakened by choking flames of fire in the middle of the night.

The source of the fire is unknown but the father suspects it was an attack due to a land dispute. Peter Mutuma, the  Mwingi Central Sub-County police commander confirmed that an investigation to the incident had been launched.

This incidence brings chills to a lot of parents as to how to protect their children against fire.

Here are five fire safety precautions you can take:

Install smoke alarms

Ensure that you have installed fire alarms on every level of the house. Inside bedrooms or outside sleeping areas. Also ensure that the smoke alarms are tested and checked to ensure they work properly. Change the batteries in case they don’t work and ensure they are in the right state to serve their purpose.

2. Have a fire extinguisher

Ensure you have a fire extinguisher and that it is located in a place that’s easy to access. Make sure that everyone around the house receives training on how to use them without being exposed to any risk.

3. Escape routes

All routes should be identified and accessed easily in the event of a fire. Ensure there are enough exits like multiple back doors and in the right places. There should be enough space to hold everyone who might be in the house. Additionally, there should not be anything getting in the way of these exits so that everyone can leave safely.

4. Insert fire alarms and detectors

While you make decisions on these safety precautions, its important to choose the best method to detect the fire and quickly raise the alarm. When the fire alarm goes off you might have a maximum of two minutes to get to safety. That means it should be loud enough to be heard through the house.

All the employees and members of the family should know how to operate the warning system. Test the alarms frequently to ensure they are in the best condition.

5. Have a fire escape plan

Create and practice two ways out of every room. It can either be by using the window or the back door. Explain to everyone in the house, including the employees, the proper instructions to take in case of a fire such as helping the kids out or how to act in case of a fire for instance laying low while moving to safety since smoke can be very harmful.

These five tips can make the difference between life and death. Practice them regularly and ensure that your kids understand by explaining to them.