Most fires started by small children are not the result of malicious intent but stem from a natural curiosity about the fire that blossoms into an abnormal fascination with flickering yellow flames and the power that fire commands, according to fire officials and mental health experts. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that children playing with fire caused an average of 8100 fires including homes, schools, and other buildings each year between 2014 and 2018.
According to the UNICEF Juvenile Justice Portfolio of Nigeria, states that;
“A person under the age of twelve years is not criminally responsible for any act or omission unless it is proved that at the time of doing the act or making the omission he had the capacity to know that he ought not to do the act or make the omission.”
This refers to the case of the fire incident at EBEANO Supermarket Abuja, where a nine-year-old girl set the facility on fire as captured in the closed-circuit TV (CCTV). This was probably a case of an accident waiting to happen if indeed that gas burner was connected to a gas source through a filled cylinder. From the video circulated, it can also be observed that the Gas cooker was positioned in an open area with no staff or operator insight.
The irresponsibility of Ebeano Supermarkets to have a high hazard area not effectively manned and guarded could have led to not just the loss of goods and properties worth millions but also the death of shoppers and their wards.
As it stands, the law will not permit the incarceration of the child. In the event of being charged with arson, the juvenile will have options that an adult doesn’t have. That doesn’t automatically mean the youth will be free of consequences
The Penal Code of Nigeria, S.50, provides that no act is an offense which is done:
- By a child under 7 years of age;
- By a child above 7 years of age but under 12 years of age who has not attained sufficient understanding to judge the nature and consequence of such act.
Regulatory agencies must sit up to do better and ensure that necessary risk-mitigating facilities and equipment were in place in public buildings. Supermarkets have grab-and-go food options, many of which are hot items. Though these treats are nice for customers in a hurry, the heating elements pose a significant fire hazard. Also, there are fluorescent lights, industrial coolers, and massive electrical systems found in every grocery store across the country.
As long as they’re maintained and up to code, the electrical systems are harmless. But, if they’re not, a rogue spark from a failing system can cause a devastating fire. Again, be sure to have inspections performed regularly. Assuming Ebeano Supermarkets was installed with smoke detectors, and sprinklers, the fire won’t have happened like that because immediately the fire detector gets a whiff of the smoke, it will trigger with an alarm and everyone will be alerted. And if the smoke detector is connected to a sprinkler, immediately, the sprinkler will start sprinkling water.
Also Read:
- FINANCIAL LOSS AND BUSINESS INTERRUPTION DUE TO FAILURE IN ENGINEERING RISK CONTROL – THE EBEANO CASE
- LE CAS DUN GESTIONNAIRE DE RISQUES LE SUPERMARCHE EBEANO
- A RISK MANAGER CASE OF EBEANO SUPERMARKET
REFERENCES:
https://www.unicef-irc.org/portfolios/documents/424_nigeria.htm
https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/childrens-health/six-ways-to-prevent-your-child-from-playing-fire
