GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

Electrical faults are the most possible cause of fire disasters. Therefore, more attention should be paid to electrical faults in residential buildings. The causes of such fires include erratic power surges, illegal electrical connections, improper electrical fittings, substandard electrical materials, and the use of indoor generators. However, the paper carefully evaluated the effect of electrical faults on fire disaster in Uyo metropolis of Akwa Ibom State. In the paper, it was observed that electrical faults originating from electric wires, cables, circuit breakers, and within electrical components may occur in electrical panels from overloaded circuits or the ageing of the panel and can lead to a disastrous fire outbreak in buildings and structures. However, kinks in wiring can also cause electrical resistance within the wire, which creates heat and could lead to an instantaneous electrical fire. Furthermore, the paper concluded that electrical faults are a common cause of residential fires, and their potential hazard is increasing as more electrical appliances are being used in each family nowadays, and wiring has a higher possibility of being ignited. One of the recommendations is that the fire service department should be well-equipped with up-to-date equipment and facilities to put out fires within the shortest minimum time. The new strategic techniques should also be practiced by the firefighters of the state.

KEYWORDS: Electrical Faults, Fire Disaster, Residential Buildings and Akwa Ibom State.