Introduction Providing adequate fire safety measures in a shopping mall is critical as people from all walks of life enter it. Research indicates that security measures in mass purchasing are inadequately provided; therefore, in the event of a fire there is a risk of serious damage. According to Kachenje et al (2010, p.6) most large shopping centers do not have sufficient fire safety facilities and measures. Furthermore, some facilities are not easily accessible or do not function at all. There are specific features that contribute to fire safety within shopping centres, such as their design with large exit points, large access routes and alert, mobile occupants. Shopping complexes have a high probability of fire incidents due to the transient population (Kachenje et al (2010, p. 6). Every year, fire incidents are reported in various shopping malls around the world. Below are three case studies of fire accidents that resulted in death and property loss. Say no to plagiarism Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay One of the critical fire accidents occurred in the Aksaray underground shopping mall in Turkey in 1975. Reports indicate that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit in one of the shops inside the shopping mall. The firefighters responded promptly, however, nature of the fire made it difficult to contain the fire (Arioglu, Anadol and Candogan); n.d., p.2).Firefighters attempted to use fans to extract the smoke, but it was too thick. Furthermore, the very high space made it difficult for crews to access an ideal place to fight the fire. After a few hours, firefighters gave up and closed the entrances using wood, canvas and sand to block oxygen and let the fire self-extinguish. Firefighters created holes in the ceiling to channel water into the building, but the technique didn't work. The fire continued for approximately 63 hours (Arioglu, Anadol and Candogan n.d., p.2). The fire in the Village started following a short circuit in a fluorescent tube. The bulb burst after the plastic components of the tube overheated (Khatri, Chatriwala, and Mills 2013, p.10). The fire at the Villaggio shopping center is among the worst tragedies in Qatar: 19 people died, most of them children in a nursery. Firefighters tried to access the kindergarten through the roof of the shopping center to save people. However, the delays resulted in children dying from smoke inhalation. Others died when the stairs of the shopping center collapsed. People could observe smoke coming out of the mall (Khatri, Chatriwala, and Mills 2013, p.8). There was no escape route as both exit points were blocked by smoke. The alarm and sprinkler systems were not working properly. Thick smoke and heat hampered the rescue mission, as did a lack of proper floor plans and malfunctioning sprinkler systems. Smoke spread throughout the mall through the mall's vents and along the ceiling. The smoke becomes denser and more toxic after mixing with the flammable paint used to decorate the mall. Initially, shoppers didn't seem bothered by the fire, but they had no idea the fire was spreading out of control. Smoke spread to the roof and vents. It is normal for this to occur in large firessmoke. Hot, toxic gases tend to be harmful to mall occupants and block firefighters from responding (Khatri, Chatriwala, and Mills 2013, p.8). The Myer shopping center fire led to the total destruction of the Myer store and over 40 million people. dollar losses (Cordingley and Tullberg 2007, para.1). According to reports, the fire was caused by an electrical fault inside the shop. The structure of the shop contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Half of the store was severely affected by smoke, but remained structurally sound. The heat produced by the fire was too high, so much so that the firefighters had to retreat briefly. Smoke rose from the building in a plume to the ceiling. When the smoke reached the ceiling a layer of smoke formed. As observed from the image below, the volume of smoke increased when it came into contact with air. Smoke coming from the building hampered firefighters' efforts to save things inside the building. Smoke could be seen wafting through the roof of the building. Smoke controls are engineered systems that use fans to produce pressure differences to impede the movement of smoke. A smoke control system prevents smoke from spreading into stairwells, elevators and means of egress or similar areas (Ball 1999, p.134-135). The system maintains a friendly environment before the evacuation process by the firefighters. Furthermore, the control system prevents smoke migration from the starting point. Smoke control creates a sustainable environment allowing the emergency response team to conduct search and rescue missions and locate and fight the fire. Research indicates that installing a smoke control system results in the protection of lives and the reduction of property losses (Ball 1999, p.134-135). According to Ball (1999, p.136) "smoke control systems include automatic smoke release or extraction as well as necessary screens". The smoke control system cools temperatures allowing occupants to breathe easily and preventing structural damage by keeping building materials and contents below the flash point. Smoke is one of the critical problems generated by fire. Smoke causes loss of life and property and damage around the fire site. Smoke contains solid and liquid substances dispersed in the air and gases generated during combustion. It takes a few minutes for smoke to fill a room. Thick smoke tends to obscure exit signs and doors, complicating the escape process. Especially from the three case studies, the Villaggio shopping center fire, it is clear that smoking is the main cause of fires in buildings. The accident at the Villaggio shopping center caused the death of 13 children inside a nursery where the fire did not reach. However, the children suffocated due to too much smoke inside the building. Fire at a shopping mall causes many casualties due to panic among the building's occupants as they jostle to escape the scene of the fire. Determining smoke movement in a shopping mall can be challenging due to its size and complicated design. Therefore, rescue procedures tend to be difficult. Currently, researchers examine movements based on fire locations at different locations within a large shopping mall. Usually, shopping centers include several shops such as boutiques, food outlets, entertainment facilities or clothing and fabric stores. Installing a smoke control system should be a..
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