EVALUATION OF FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION MEASURES IN MARKETS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nigeria has been facing the problem of frequent fire outbreaks in market places. This problem has led to the substantial loss of valuable goods, properties and human lives. Hence, it brought a need for the evaluation of fire prevention and protection measures put in market places with the aim of generating additional guidelines to improve the National Fire Safety Code of Nigeria with respect to market design. The population of this research was the seven regional built-up markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria that are under the control of the FCT Markets Management Committee. Thus, Wuse market, Garki model market and Kado market were selected from the research population for study by using purposive sampling method. There are 2,091, 1,430 and 353 sales points in Wuse market, Garki model market and Kado market respectively. Hence, by applying systematic sampling method at every 5th interval, 419, 287 and 71 sales points were studied in Wuse market, Garki model market and Kado market respectively. Consequently, primary research data were generated from the direct observations of the conditions of the three selected markets, and the total number of 777 questionnaires administered to the sales people in the markets. Likewise, they were generated from the discussions with the sales people, and staff of the FCT Markets Operating Bodies such as the Federal Fire Service of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Traders and the managing company of the selected markets. Also, interview questions were administered to the FCT Markets Operating Bodies, in order to generate the primary data. Secondary research data were obtained from the reviews of relevant literature on fire outbreaks in markets; other public buildings in and outside Nigeria. Parametric statistical and content analysis techniques were used to analyse the data, and the results of the analyses were accepted via normality test. The results of the research showed that among the changes made by the users that cause the fast spread of fire in the markets is fixing of canopies in between the roofs of two or more buildings as sun shading devices by the sales people. The major factors attributed to the changes made by the users that cause fast spread of fire in the markets are from electricity related issues such as indiscriminate use of personal electricity generators. The design of all the markets against fire outbreaks were poor such that there are some buildings in the markets without front verandahs or corridors for mounting fire extinguishers or other mountable fire protection devices on their inner walls. Moreover, it was revealed that the current 2013 edition of the National Fire Safety Code of Nigeria (NFSCN) is not adequate for Nigeria because it is not well enforced in terms of passive fire prevention and protection measures. Thus, among the generated additional guidelines for designing markets to improve the NFSCN are: all the floors of lock-up shops in markets must be designed to have front verandahs/corridors, in order to reduce the use of canopy roofs as sun shading devices for sit out areas. All the market sites must have main fire resistant generator houses, in order to reduce the indiscriminate use of personal electricity generators. Among the recommendations is that the current 2013 edition of the NFSCN should be reviewed to adequately focus on passive fire prevention and protection measures.