By HIROKI KOIZUMI/ Staff Writer
February 19, 2023 at 07:00 JST
A government-affiliated organization is warning the public to beware of clothing catching fire near gas stoves or heaters.
The National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) is giving the warning as people take out their portable gas stoves and heating devices to ward off the winter chill.
As many people wear several layers of clothing in winter, too, sometimes it can take some time to notice their clothing has caught fire, the NITE said.
A total of 492 people died from their clothes catching fire over the five years from 2017, according to the website of the internal affairs ministry’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Of around 100 individuals killed annually, more than 80 percent were 65 or older.
Gas stoves were cited as the cause in most cases, seven, over the five-year period from fiscal 2017, results from the NITE’s analysis of 20 such confirmed cases showed.
By cause, misuse or carelessness were responsible for 80 percent of the accidents.
One tip the NITE offers is to not bring clothing close to any fire on gas stoves and heaters while they are in use.
The edges of flames can reach farther than they appear, raising the risk of garments catching fire. It is also dangerous for someone to have their arms extended over gas stoves during cooking, such as picking up items behind the equipment.
Clothing with loose hems and sleeves should also not be worn when staying near fire. Synthetic fibers should likewise be avoided as that type of textile melts on the skin, causing more severe burns.
Putting on aprons and arm covers for cooking will help stop hems and sleeves from being too loose. Noncombustible and flame-retardant garments are also reportedly effective in preventing accidents as they can keep the fire from spreading.
STOP, DROP AND ROLL
Should clothing catch fire, wearers are advised to try putting out the blaze first with water and fire extinguishers. Promptly removing garments is another option.
If such measures are impossible due to the wearer being at an outdoor barbecue party or some other occasion, the NITE said the tactic to “stop, drop and roll” should be tried.
Running in panic may fan the flames, so stop first, drop so there is as small of a gap as possible between the body and ground, and roll rightward and leftward while rubbing the section that’s on fire against the soil.
Covering the face with both hands during the process will protect the face from burns.
“Fires can be put out by blocking oxygen as much as possible,” said a representative of the NITE. “What is crucial is staying calm.”
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A scene is reproduced in an experiment where clothing catches fire as the arm is extended to pick up something behind a gas stove. (Provided by the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation)
