General
How to Prevent Fire Outbreaks in High-Risk Buildings—Eaton
By Adedapo Adesanya
A top power management company, Eaton, has provided some pointers that can help prevent fire outbreaks in high-risk buildings which have increased in the last year.
According to Kunmi Odunoku, Marketing Manager for Eaton in West Africa, demographic changes mean that “we are building larger, taller, and more complex buildings to live, work and spend our leisure time in.”
While it is true that fire safety has improved with the installation of devices such as smoke detectors and alarms, the impact of a fire is now potentially far more serious than it has ever been.
According to Odunoku, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to fire prevention, suppression or evacuation, a thorough risk assessment issued on a case-by-case basis will suggest appropriate measures to be taken.
“It is no longer good enough to hide behind regulations or standards, which should be seen as a minimum requirement. Building owners and developers should hold themselves to a higher standard of safety and do more to prevent a tragedy in high-risk buildings,” the senior company official said.
Incidents such as the recent fire outbreak under the Eko bridge reinforce how infernos can result in serious damage or worse – the loss of life. Such incidents often result in reputational damage for the organizations and individuals involved that may escalate to a clamour for those responsible to face charges of corporate liability or manslaughter in the case of loss of properties or lives.
Regardless of the reputational risk, it is surely the moral responsibility of building owners and operators to ensure that modern buildings housing hundreds or even thousands of people are safe for the occupants.
“One problem building occupants face is understanding who is responsible for their safety, and in this, there is a danger of simply avoiding the issue. So, to be clear I believe that building owners or operators must ensure that appropriate safety measures are in place.
“Simply adhering to standard building regulations is not a sufficient safety measure,” Odunoku stated.
In a recent study, FM Global found that 70 per cent of business owners feel that following building regulations will protect their property, as the organization points out “this is simply not their purpose”.
Such an approach takes no account of the different risks faced in different types of buildings or by different occupants. The only sensible approach to take is to conduct a thorough risk assessment of the building and then implement appropriate safeguards.
Changing the nature of risk
The nature of fire risks in buildings changes as our society changes. By 2050 the UN estimates that two-thirds of people will be urbanites living, working, and spending leisure time in buildings designed to hold hundreds if not thousands of people.
This means we will increasingly build upwards. There are already a staggering number of buildings in cities around the world that are over 100 meters tall. As buildings get taller the number of mixed-use buildings will also rise rapidly. Typically, in taller mixed-use buildings, the lower floors house shops and restaurants while the upper floors are reserved for residential purposes. This means that due to the nature of the use, lower floors are unoccupied and unsupervised in the middle of the night, while those people on higher floors could well be asleep should the worst happen.
Risk assessment
There is no single answer to mitigating the risks of a fire in a building and for high-risk buildings, the regulations are simply not enough. We advocate a three-step process to help ensure ongoing safety:
- Identify the specific risks in your building. You may decide to employ or engage experts to do the risk assessment.
- Select and design systems and solutions addressing the specific risks identified.
- Test and review these solutions regularly especially if there are changes to building use.
Having conducted a thorough risk assessment, you can then make an informed choice on what action to take. Breaking this down further you need to think about prevention, controlling a fire, detection, and how you will alert occupants and evacuate or guide people away from danger.
While education and technology can help prevent the worst from happening as The Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat observes: “The only true way to stop a fire from happening is to remove the humans and the combustible materials from buildings. You can apply good fire safety education and management, but, fires start, what happens next is what matters.”
Preventing a fire is about building design, such as compartmentation to help prevent or slow down the spread and also installing technology such as sprinkler systems. Sadly, too many developers and building owners dismiss sprinklers as not cost-effective and prefer to spend their money on air-conditioning or intelligent lighting systems.
Alerting and evacuating
If the fire does spread, there is generally a short window to alert and evacuate building occupants. This is made even more complicated if people are asleep or are disabled and are not aware of an alert or need assistance.
There is a lot of technology available to alert building occupants and instruct them or guide them to safety. The important thing is to be aware of such technology or employ someone who can advise you appropriately and above all not cut corners to save cost. While we hope that it never happens to us, a fire in a complex building could be catastrophic if you do not plan properly. It is time to take fire safety seriously so that people do not lose their homes, places of work or worse their lives. If you are a building owner, it is your moral duty to do all that you can.
Eaton has teamed up with several fire safety organizations from around the world to produce a whitepaper called “Fire Safety in High-Risk Buildings – preventing the next tragedy.” You can download it from Eaton’s website.
By Blaise Udunze
Momentum is gathering for the Abuja Night of Glory taking place today, Friday, December 5, 2025, at the main bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
The crusade is being hosted by Dominion City Church headed by Pastor David Ogbueli and it starts by 7pm.
The all-night programme will feature dynamic worship leaders like Nathanial Bassey, Dunsin Oyekan, Theophilus Sunday, Chioma Jesus, Kaestrings, Sunmisola Agbebi Okeleye, Minister GUC, Ebuka Songs, Anthony Kani, and DC Angels.
Reputed as a teacher of righteousness and anointed minister of the gospel, evidenced by the miracles that have trailed his ministry, and one who champions the cause of the poor through empowerment initiatives, Dr. David Ogbueli will be joined by renowned ministers from within and outside Nigeria, including Evangelist Andres Bisonni, Dr. Charles Ndifon, Evangelist Dan Scott, Apostle Ikechukwu Nnajiofor, and several others.
Night of Glory has, in previous editions held across Nigeria’s cities, recorded remarkable results, such as immediate healings and freedom from chronic ailments, recovery of vision and movement after many years of paralysis, along with liberation from dependencies and emotional distress. Numerous participants have also shared testimonies of breakthroughs and big personal changes after the experience. Organisers state that this year’s event, in Abuja, is anticipated to exceed previous editions.
The event is intended for all individuals trusting God for divine intervention in any area of life.
Understanding the role of faith in the destiny of individuals and nations, a dedicated prayer session for Nigeria will take place during the crusade to tackle some of the current challenges being faced in the country and also to uplift he leaders and institutions before God.
Attendance is free, and registration is encouraged via the QR codes on event banners. Organisers expect a massive turnout as worshippers travel from across the country for what is anticipated to be a transformative encounter.
Adequate security and free transportation have been put in place ALL over the city of Abuja, while those outside Abuja are expected to join online.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Martin Amaewhule, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the plenary on Friday, Mr Amaewhule joined the ruling party from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with 15 other members of the state parliament.
This development comes some months after they had earlier declared their support for the APC in the wake of a crisis with the state governor, Mr Sim Fubura.
The lawmakers had an issue with Mr Fubura, which led to a state of emergency declared on the oil-rich state by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025.
This embargo was only lift in September 2025 after the duration of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
A few days ago, members of the Rivers Assembly passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu, backing him to remain in office till 2031, when he would have spent eight years in office if re-elected in 2027.
Announcing their defection today, the lawmakers pinned their decision on the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level.
It is not certain if their political godfather, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will join them in APC.
Mr Wike, who governed Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, has been accused of instigating the crisis in the opposition PDP. He was expelled from the party last month at a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned that Nigeria risks massive brain drain in the oil and gas sector due to poor remuneration.
The president of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo, said at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union on Thursday in Abuja that the industry was facing challenges arising from Naira devaluation and inflation, noting that, oil and gas skills remained globally competitive.
Painting an example, he said, “A drilling engineer in Nigeria does the same job as one in the US or Abu Dhabi,” noting that the union must take steps to bridge the wage gap to prevent members from leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.
“If we don’t act, the brain drain seen in other sectors will be child’s play,” he said.
According to him, PENGASSAN has recorded significant gains through collective bargaining across oil and gas branches.
“We signed numerous agreements across government agencies, IOCs, service and marketing sectors,” he said.
He said the agreements brought relief to members facing rising costs of living, adding that, the association’s duty is to protect members’ jobs and enhance their pay.
Mr Osifo urged companies delaying salary reviews and those foot-dragging as a result of the prevailing economic realities, to do the needful.
He said the industry employed some of the nation’s best talents, making competitive pay critical to retaining skilled workers.
“This industry recruits the best. Companies must provide the best conditions,” he said.
On insecurity, Mr Osifo urged government to take decisive action against terrorism and kidnappings across the country.
“We are tired of condemnations. government must expose sponsors and protect citizens,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to prioritise tackling insecurity through better funding and equipment for security agencies.
Mr Osifo said PENGASSAN supported calls for state police to improve local security response, adding that decentralising policing will protect citizens better than rhetoric.
He also said economic indicators meant little, if food prices remained high and farmers could not return to farms due to insecurity.
“Nigerians want to see food on the table, not macroeconomic figures,” he said, urging the government to coordinate fiscal and monetary policies to ensure economic gains reach households.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn