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Post by nok on Aug 7, 2013 9:39:30 GMT 3
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Post by nok on Aug 7, 2013 9:41:32 GMT 3
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Post by kamalet on Aug 7, 2013 12:27:31 GMT 3
Being a regular user of JKIA the fire this morning and the extent of damage were inevitable. The extent of carelessness that one sees especially on matters of health and safety, like many Kenyan installations, the airport lived on a wing and a prayer. The fact that the roofing materials at the arrivals were not exactly fire resistant and there was no provision for a sprinkler system made the damage quite extensive.
One would expect that in such a large complex, fire suppression systems would be installed to ensure that we do not get to the stage of the conflagration we witnessed. Surely a smoke or flame detector would have sounded an alarm before the fire got out of control. My suspicion is that considering that such suppression systems are not very expensive means that no deals can be made hence the low ranking in priority!
For those that have followed our media reporting of the disaster, I am sure they have been shocked at how poor the reporting has been. First they have allowed a lot of speculation from even politicians on the cause of the fire the most ridiculous one being that the thugs demolishing the duty free shops owned by Pattni as being the cause of the fire in that they could have pulled cables causing the fire. Now anyone who knows JKIA is aware that there are no duty free shops in the arrivals area and hence that could not have been the cause of the fire! There are those reporters asking about the satisfaction of anyone walking about on the response from the emergency institutions and it is hilarious how the questions are being framed to show incompetence! The other one is on the information from airport authorities to travellers.....any dimwit that knows an airport is on fire should know all flights will be cancelled until there can be cover from fire engines. But the best was this KTN girl called Wanuna something questioning why airborne fire fighters were not deployed such as helicopters to fight the fire!
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jkm
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Post by jkm on Aug 7, 2013 15:57:46 GMT 3
This is what happens when corruption, impunity and tribalism and incompetence rules supreme as nothing works or is done to internationally accepted standard. I wonder when the criminal led government will be inviting the international community to come and help investigate as-- this is too big for us-- according to the head of the airport security the former police spokesperson who is a well known incompetent person famously known for paying some dude to do a masters degree for him and also for dismissing the video footage showing the police killing people during the 2007.
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Post by OtishOtish on Aug 7, 2013 17:02:51 GMT 3
One would expect that in such a large complex, fire suppression systems would be installed to ensure that we do not get to the stage of the conflagration we witnessed. Surely a smoke or flame detector would have sounded an alarm before the fire got out of control. My suspicion is that considering that such suppression systems are not very expensive means that no deals can be made hence the low ranking in priority! Kenya is the country where a fire station burned down (in Mombasa)! Apparently even the fire engines sitting there did not have any water in them! On a "brighter" note for Kenyans: it will be some time before there are any national quarrels over any VIP lounge in that part of the airport. |
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tov
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Post by tov on Aug 7, 2013 17:03:41 GMT 3
Being a regular user of JKIA the fire this morning and the extent of damage were inevitable. The extent of carelessness that one sees especially on matters of health and safety, like many Kenyan installations, the airport lived on a wing and a prayer. The fact that the roofing materials at the arrivals were not exactly fire resistant and there was no provision for a sprinkler system made the damage quite extensive. One would expect that in such a large complex, fire suppression systems would be installed to ensure that we do not get to the stage of the conflagration we witnessed. Surely a smoke or flame detector would have sounded an alarm before the fire got out of control. My suspicion is that considering that such suppression systems are not very expensive means that no deals can be made hence the low ranking in priority! For those that have followed our media reporting of the disaster, I am sure they have been shocked at how poor the reporting has been. First they have allowed a lot of speculation from even politicians on the cause of the fire the most ridiculous one being that the thugs demolishing the duty free shops owned by Pattni as being the cause of the fire in that they could have pulled cables causing the fire. Now anyone who knows JKIA is aware that there are no duty free shops in the arrivals area and hence that could not have been the cause of the fire! There are those reporters asking about the satisfaction of anyone walking about on the response from the emergency institutions and it is hilarious how the questions are being framed to show incompetence! The other one is on the information from airport authorities to travellers.....any dimwit that knows an airport is on fire should know all flights will be cancelled until there can be cover from fire engines. But the best was this KTN girl called Wanuna something questioning why airborne fire fighters were not deployed such as helicopters to fight the fire! The Airports Authority or someone is desperately trying to nick a quick medal for outstanding normalization of the situation at the airport. It is heartening to hear that domestic and cargo flights will resume shortly with the prospect of international flights following ASAP. However, what is coming on the screens is an indictment on our health and safety standards. Call them CSI wannabees? These dudes just wade through the fire debris without protective gear. One - Madowo - had the courage to point at the roof, warning listeners that the roof is almost caving in; even pointing to the viewers some of the debris from the roof. Blimey!! Their insurance premiums must be quite pricey. One would expect the airport's chief engineer to have done structural assessment and the buildings certified as safe before the public are allowed in. Also, they should carry out rigorous risk re-assessments to mitigate fire risks. Such steps, as simple as they appear will reassure the stakeholders and restore confidence. In this day and age, when technology has made it quite easy to detect and prevent fires, it is indeed shocking as Kamalet put it, that a fire would burn down a 24/7 complex such as JKIA with resident fire engines. Surely, camaraderie aside ... heads should move. Somebody is sleeping on the job. |
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Post by jakaswanga on Aug 7, 2013 21:50:27 GMT 3
But the best was this KTN girl called Wanuna something questioning why airborne fire fighters were not deployed such as helicopters to fight the fire! Hey Kamalet, Wanuna may just turn out to have bigger brains than her butt I can assure you. --The fire-engines from neighbouring industrial complexes that took to the road to respond were, wait for it, held for hours in the heavy traffic! Now, if you have seen how FOREST fires are put out by air-tanks [AIR-BORNE WATER BOMBS] as in Australia or California, it would surely be an idea, given the traffic jams then. And of course she was being cheeky: a digital regime should surely have evaluated such a solution --with all that 2 trillion dollar budget! I hope the VIP lounges are still usable, otherwise I would know who to blame!  |
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Post by Fahari on Aug 7, 2013 22:19:14 GMT 3
But the best was this KTN girl called Wanuna something questioning why airborne fire fighters were not deployed such as helicopters to fight the fire! Hey Kamalet, Wanuna may just turn out to have bigger brains than her butt I can assure you. --The fire-engines from neighbouring industrial complexes that took to the road to respond were, wait for it, held for hours in the heavy traffic! Now, if you have seen how FOREST fires are put out by air-tanks [AIR-BORNE WATER BOMBS] as in Australia or California, it would surely be an idea, given the traffic jams then. And of course she was being cheeky: a digital regime should surely have evaluated such a solution --with all that 2 trillion dollar budget! I hope the VIP lounges are still usable, otherwise I would know who to blame! That was a brainless idea from the lady seeing that one, it wasn't a forest fire but a more localized fire requiring directed firefighting not aerial bombing. Secondly, aerial water bombing requires specially modified and equipped aircraft which would have taken several months to build by then the whole airport and its environs would be gone. brilliant!  The funny thing is that there is no consensus in California on the efficacy of aerial firefighting but it makes for good footage and PR. Goes to show that too much TV damages the brains  Sprinkler systems, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers in strategic positions would be more appropriate. |
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Post by OtishOtish on Aug 8, 2013 2:07:26 GMT 3
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Post by KOLONEL BRISK on Aug 8, 2013 8:59:12 GMT 3
 Pictures never Lie, This is an International Airport. |
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Post by nok on Aug 8, 2013 9:11:31 GMT 3
www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000090408&story_title=jkia-fire-unmasked-false-security-behind-airport-reformsI am curious to see whether investigations will mutate into a cover up or if we shall see a thorough and open investigation with adequate measures to ensuring future disaster preparedness. Just a wild theory without any facts; The Jua kali ways of running business in KenyaThrough corruption someone acquires a licence to operate a business venture in a very strategic Airport of a Region. Through corruption this said person looses the sunny side of doing business and is ejected by the new sheriff. The ejection occurs under a battalion of goons with possibly no technical know how of Voltage V = I × R = P / I = √(P × R) in volts V Current I = V / R = P / V = √(P / R) in amperes A Resistance R = V / I = P / I2 = V2 / P in ohms Ω Power P = V × I = R × I2 = V2 / R in watts W What happens thereafter is that eletrical lines that supplied the area in series or parellels become exposed and the threat of short circuits and the risk of electrical fires rises. Combine that with extrem inflamable nature of this particular Airport together with a non existent risk evaluation and a clueless safety crew. Add our not so efficient response to serious disasters One wonders that this airport is resuming operations already. A case study; www.spiegel.de/international/germany/opening-of-new-berlin-airport-delayed-by-fire-protection-concerns-a-832253.htmlunedited
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Post by umkhonto on Aug 8, 2013 11:49:24 GMT 3
Yeah the "dynamic duo" like giraffes have seen the future. Let us digitize the minds of our young ones then in 12 to 15 years we'll have a generation that will think things like smoke detectors, fire sprinklers and well equipped fire fighting teams. But for now we cannot think, let them tribalized regime eat birrions while public institutions collapse. I was at the airport to pick up a visitor and I couldn't reconcile the sight of military people fetching water with backets while our leaders were arriving in top of range GOK issue SUVs. Surely, the GOK priorities are twisted. I bet you on record one will find completion certificates of fire control systems etc. This is a mbig shame.
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Post by kamalet on Aug 8, 2013 11:51:02 GMT 3
But the best was this KTN girl called Wanuna something questioning why airborne fire fighters were not deployed such as helicopters to fight the fire! Hey Kamalet, Wanuna may just turn out to have bigger brains than her butt I can assure you. --The fire-engines from neighbouring industrial complexes that took to the road to respond were, wait for it, held for hours in the heavy traffic! Now, if you have seen how FOREST fires are put out by air-tanks [AIR-BORNE WATER BOMBS] as in Australia or California, it would surely be an idea, given the traffic jams then. And of course she was being cheeky: a digital regime should surely have evaluated such a solution --with all that 2 trillion dollar budget! I hope the VIP lounges are still usable, otherwise I would know who to blame! Jakaswanga I think Fahari explains better why Wanuna's idea was thoughtless and the problem of watching too much National Geographic and Discovery to think that some solutions work!!! As for the lounges, none for the VIPs but yours truly is a victim as the brand spanking new KQ frequent flyer lounge was situated here and is one of those that are no longer existent! Damn! |
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Post by omundu on Aug 8, 2013 12:29:12 GMT 3
NOK It is an embarrassing event to our country. However, I can't get my head around which is more embarrassing: the first major airport fire ever recorded worldwide or the state that our airport was/is in. Even eldoret airport is better than this relic. On electrical fires, it could be a possibility (sabotage even) but I wouldn't put it at the top of the causes for now for various reasons : - electrical fires start by arcing currents jumping thus increasing heat leading to combusting surrounding materials. Normally, this leads to blown fuses and tripped circuit breakers. The electrical supply to the whole airport would have been affected with blackouts or flickering and dimming lights. I am not sure if those things happened. - we also have outlets emitting heat and funny smells at the begining of the arcing mentioned above. So far, we havnt heard any reports of that. There are various other technical signs including the colour or lack of smoke when the fire starts etc. However, whatever the cause of the fire, the issue should not be cause, but what mechanisms are inbuilt in the structure to prevent or minimise the spread. Kamale intimates on the failed systems above. That is where the problem lies; JKIA was built decades ago. A walk through the airport will highlight the fire hazard that it is; old, wornout finishes, including timber flooring and ceilings that have outlived their fire rating. Every material (in modern design) has a fire rating of at least two hours in major transport nodes. This means that the material can withstand direct high heat for a certain specified time before combusting. This helps in reducing spread of fire thus minimising it to a specific location for easier combat. It also gives people time to evacuate. Now, with time, these materials lose their fire rating and that's why renovations (especially of major buildings)are paramount. Jkia has never had any major internal renovations since its initial construction. As mentioned above, it seems the smoke detectors didn't function. Whatever happened to the sprinkler system ? This would have also minimised the fire to its original starting point and even put it off before it spread. In any design of public buildings, there is a universal fire design handbook that ensures issues like an FHR (fire hose reel) and fire hydrants every, say, twenty meters. Did we have that ? If we did, were they in working condition ? Are our building codes being closely scrutinized and implemented, including occasional check ups ? If JKIA is in such a condition, what conditions are our other public buildings in ? Niungwana kweli haya ? An international airport does a lot to a country's image. Imagine the losses that have incurred since the incident, including the embarrassment it has caused our image. What contingencies have been put in place to ensure business as usual : we have diverted flights to mombasa and neighbouring countries but that is still a major dent to business. We have started using the cargo terminal for passenger traffic also. But all this are just short term. And for how long will we do this. Even with the laptop budget diverted to reconstruction, it will take years because we have to bring in experts to determine the structural stability of the fire damaged building before we think of refurbishing or demolishing and building anew. And with the political interference in our tender process, it may add another two years to another four years of designing and construction. It is not an easy situation and solving it will require sober minded experts. However, a blessing in disguise may be the almost completed UNIT 4. It is apparently meant to be complete this august. It's main aim was to finally enable USA planes to use our airport (imagine the traffic and the effects on our economy) but now after the fire, we are back to square one with the americans. JKIA was constructed to handle 2.5 million passengers per year. After decades (and lack of foresight by our leaders at least to expand) the airport now handles about 7 million passengers a year. Wear and tear anyone ? And imagine the deaths if the fire would have happened at peak operation ? Unit four (there is also a parkade to handle 1500 bays)was meant to increase traffic to 9 million per year. It was meant to handle international departures but I guess they will have to now make a plan and mix departures and arrivals in unit four. We also have the greenfields terminal. A whole new airport designed to world standards. Construction is meant to start in November this year. For more (including images) below the link. www.archidatum.com/greenfield-terminal-jkiagensler-architects/The new terminal, to be built adjacent to the existing one at jkia, complete with its own runways, was meant to start construction in january last year after the tender was awarded to some chinese construction company. However, politics as usual in kenya, and impunity by Kimunya et al, delayed the project by two years. Now we see the repercussions of our silliness. Hehehe. Two years would have meant that the greenfields terminal would be complete by mid or end of next year at a cost of US 655 million dollars. We all know in kenya, that amount of money attracts the most unscrupulous fellas. That's why the delay happened until parliament had to be involved. Let us wait and see how the handle this. Meanwhile, we remain a laughing stock to even our brothers in countries like rwanda and uganda. |
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Post by Horth on Aug 8, 2013 14:31:19 GMT 3
NOK It is an embarrassing event to our country. However, I can't get my head around which is more embarrassing: the first major airport fire ever recorded worldwide or the state that our airport was/is in. Even eldoret airport is better than this relic. On 11th April, 1996, Dusseldorf Airport in Germany had a severe fire which was many magnitudes larger than JKIA’s and caused much more damage. Even though this was 17 years ago, I would bet anything that the German’s fire suppression system, fire team’s response time, and equipment were by far better than current days JKIA. Yet it happened. Source |
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Post by kamalet on Aug 8, 2013 14:44:27 GMT 3
I think Omundu captures the problems at JKIA correctly. By African standards even being nearly 40 years old, JKIA is still a relatively modern and big airport. But that is only with regards to the complex, there are very many things inside that makes the place very sick and courts of paint and replacement of tiles were never going to make it safe! For instance the roofing of the area that caught fire initially was all tar based roofing which meant that in the event of a fire, that was sure to be an igniter!
As regards fire suppression, i.e. detectors or sprinkler systems, there was none! There is this notion that fire fighting extinguishers, fire reels are sufficient in the event of a fire (and the city fire brigade will give you a certificate if you have either!) and they must have inspired the confidence of the authorities to feel safe. Speaking to a fire suppression specialist, he informed me that that the detector systems are very cheap and properly done could have saved the building. As the buildings were insured, I am wondering what the risk assessor looked at in passing the structure as safe for insurance purposes. Looking at the damage to the building we are looking at about 50% loss whilst in the ideal situation the maximum possible loss should be less than 40% for an airport building - and here are talking about a nearly detached structure (if you take out the two bridges). I think the insurers will be having a hard look at the loss!
The control of the fire in my view was lost for a couple of reasons. Around the immigration area there and in particular the anti-forgery office, too much paper lies around not in neat fireproof cabinets, but in boxes and on the floor. Right next to the offices is Kenya Airway's Simba Lounge and above it the new Msafiri Lounge for frequent flyers. The lounges have kitchens that offer nice warm food for breakfast, lunch and an evening meal. So a fire starts at the immigration area and no system catches the smoke and by the time anyone realises, the kitchens have been set up alight and beyond that you and know that the wooden structures in the building are all that is needed to burn up the building. As explained earlier, the tar roofing and the early morning winds we saw just added fuel to the fire.On this basis, I think the fire engines that finally showed up did a commendable job in containing the fire in about 3 hours.
So yes very many things were working against KAA yesterday morning. Its own fire engines are designed to fight aircraft fires and are certainly not enough to cover its own buildings. The location of the support emergency equipment was seriously compromised by the location of the airport and the reliance of Mombasa road to access the airport. It is no wonder that the NYS were the first ones to arrive as they wisely used the Northern Bypass to access the airport where there isn't a lot of traffic. Of concern of course was why the Kenya Pipeline right next to the airport did not respond to the fire earliest! We can go on and on on what went wrong yesterday, but the sad reality is that we never learn from history!
We are putting up a new terminal and hopefully the fire suppression in the new building will be top notch. The remaining three terminals will need a serious re-look in fire suppression, and with that need a complete install of a sprinkler system especially in areas that are carpeted considering the few entry and exit points of the airport. Very many things to do....but for now, let us get the airport operational. It is tourist high season and we need to keep this momentum for the sake of our economy!
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Post by nok on Aug 8, 2013 15:17:52 GMT 3
I think Omundu captures the problems at JKIA correctly. By African standards even being nearly 40 years old, JKIA is still a relatively modern and big airport. But that is only with regards to the complex, there are very many things inside that makes the place very sick and courts of paint and replacement of tiles were never going to make it safe! For instance the roofing of the area that caught fire initially was all tar based roofing which meant that in the event of a fire, that was sure to be an igniter! As regards fire suppression, i.e. detectors or sprinkler systems, there was none! There is this notion that fire fighting extinguishers, fire reels are sufficient in the event of a fire (and the city fire brigade will give you a certificate if you have either!) and they must have inspired the confidence of the authorities to feel safe. Speaking to a fire suppression specialist, he informed me that that the detector systems are very cheap and properly done could have saved the building. As the buildings were insured, I am wondering what the risk assessor looked at in passing the structure as safe for insurance purposes. Looking at the damage to the building we are looking at about 50% loss whilst in the ideal situation the maximum possible loss should be less than 40% for an airport building - and here are talking about a nearly detached structure (if you take out the two bridges). I think the insurers will be having a hard look at the loss! The control of the fire in my view was lost for a couple of reasons. Around the immigration area there and in particular the anti-forgery office, too much paper lies around not in neat fireproof cabinets, but in boxes and on the floor. Right next to the offices is Kenya Airway's Simba Lounge and above it the new Msafiri Lounge for frequent flyers. The lounges have kitchens that offer nice warm food for breakfast, lunch and an evening meal. So a fire starts at the immigration area and no system catches the smoke and by the time anyone realises, the kitchens have been set up alight and beyond that you and know that the wooden structures in the building are all that is needed to burn up the building. As explained earlier, the tar roofing and the early morning winds we saw just added fuel to the fire.On this basis, I think the fire engines that finally showed up did a commendable job in containing the fire in about 3 hours. So yes very many things were working against KAA yesterday morning. Its own fire engines are designed to fight aircraft fires and are certainly not enough to cover its own buildings. The location of the support emergency equipment was seriously compromised by the location of the airport and the reliance of Mombasa road to access the airport. It is no wonder that the NYS were the first ones to arrive as they wisely used the Northern Bypass to access the airport where there isn't a lot of traffic. Of concern of course was why the Kenya Pipeline right next to the airport did not respond to the fire earliest! We can go on and on on what went wrong yesterday, but the sad reality is that we never learn from history! We are putting up a new terminal and hopefully the fire suppression in the new building will be top notch. The remaining three terminals will need a serious re-look in fire suppression, and with that need a complete install of a sprinkler system especially in areas that are carpeted considering the few entry and exit points of the airport. Very many things to do....but for now, let us get the airport operational. It is tourist high season and we need to keep this momentum for the sake of our economy! Kamalet and Omundu excelent views; We are a learned lot in Kenya, we often know what should be done and how, we have brilliant policies and when i read our constitution I almost feel like crying at the beauty of it´s words.. Oh yes too inteligent to be wise ! So why do we all collectively fail. Fail to learn from mistakes, fail to implement what we know, fail to change our failing ways. In a few weeks, it will be bizz as kawaida, barely anyone will take responsibility, barely a head will roll, the same inteligent heads will be doing exactly the same unwise things.... We have lost Mombasa port...... Now we are loosing JKIA 's central position in Aviation logistics, oh yes we may repair JKIA and resumes flights but we have lost a huge product that determines longterm competitiveness and growth ... KAA has failed Kenya period. We must count the losses. |
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Post by mank on Aug 8, 2013 15:26:16 GMT 3
o.canada.com/2013/08/07/nairobi-kenya-airport-fire/Nok, I wonder whether what happens on the ground is what is in those beautiful words of our constitution. When I read the constitution I do not anticipate that our first financial priority is getting the Mpig affording everything the royal few of the world afford. With that as priority it should not be a surprise the sorry state of our public safety. Umkhonto said it well. For once I feel inspired into a destructive mood. Perhaps burning a few volvos (they are ours!) would be a beginning of a serious conversation!
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Post by omundu on Aug 8, 2013 15:33:23 GMT 3
NOK It is an embarrassing event to our country. However, I can't get my head around which is more embarrassing: the first major airport fire ever recorded worldwide or the state that our airport was/is in. Even eldoret airport is better than this relic. On 11th April, 1996, Dusseldorf Airport in Germany had a severe fire which was many magnitudes larger than JKIA’s and caused much more damage. Even though this was 17 years ago, I would bet anything that the German’s fire suppression system, fire team’s response time, and equipment were by far better than current days JKIA. Yet it happened. SourceThanks for the correction horth. Indeed it has happened before. However the german scenario was different in that it occured from wielding and the molten stuff dropped into the polystirene ceilings below. Now, two points: - polystirene is a highly flammable material and also has medical/lung implications.(That's why the material is slowly being phased out in buildings) - the polystirene drop in ceilings were spread over a very wide swath of the terminal without room walls blocking it. The above is the main reason why the fire spread inside the drop in ceiling space quickly before being detected. They didn't have smoke detectors nor fire doors or walls but even with such, it would have been hard detecting the fire within the ceiling space. However, the good thing with these wazungu is they learnt from it and re did their entire manual on design and operating airports. I can almost guarantee such may not happen again. But I could be wrong. They also have nearby international airports where flights were diverted to. We, on the other hand, do not. So we face a rather large hurdle. Are we even gonna have an inquiry ? Do we need to ? Because, as others have explained here, the issues are well known. A good thing from the article you provided is a lesson on how the germans immediately came up with short term solutions to the subsequent effects on travel: Within a short while, they had set up tents that processed travellers. The tents were subsequently converted into more stable steel structures for the duration of reconstruction of the burnt down structure. Though this may have its other complications like it and electrical cabling (considering we still use the analogue filing system as kamale says) but it is the only way to go for now. Yesterday, kenya airways shares plunged two percent. I don't think we have even seen the overall effects to the economy yet but with time we will if we don't come up with short term measures like the germans did. |
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Post by kamalet on Aug 8, 2013 16:13:02 GMT 3
Omundu
17 years ago, the fears of modern travel were not present as is the case today! I think the efforts to resume travel from yesterday were commendable. Clearing immigration and customs in Mombasa and arriving in Nairobi as domestic travel was quite ingenious and they perhaps should have done the same for the flights sent to Dar and Entebbe. Having near total resumption of services in 3 days is itself commendable and helps mask the ineptitude of the emergency services!
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Post by mank on Aug 8, 2013 17:39:43 GMT 3
Omundu 17 years ago, the fears of modern travel were not present as is the case today! I think the efforts to resume travel from yesterday were commendable. Clearing immigration and customs in Mombasa and arriving in Nairobi as domestic travel was quite ingenious and they perhaps should have done the same for the flights sent to Dar and Entebbe. Having near total resumption of services in 3 days is itself commendable and helps mask the ineptitude of the emergency services! What a relief! The great East African country has not lost all its pride. Just a little egg in the face. That's all  |
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Post by OtishOtish on Aug 8, 2013 18:29:20 GMT 3
Its own fire engines are designed to fight aircraft fires and are certainly not enough to cover its own buildings. The location of the support emergency equipment was seriously compromised by the location of the airport and the reliance of Mombasa road to access the airport. It is no wonder that the NYS were the first ones to arrive as they wisely used the Northern Bypass to access the airport where there isn't a lot of traffic. Of concern of course was why the Kenya Pipeline right next to the airport did not respond to the fire earliest! We can go on and on on what went wrong yesterday, but the sad reality is that we never learn from history! Kamale: Are they really prepared for an aircraft fire? Dealing a high-impact crash generally requires a response time of no more than 3 minutes as well as vehicles equipped with foam (not just water or military men with buckets) because fuel can spread through the fuselage and body of an aircraft within 4 minutes or so. Their equipment aside, even the location of fire folks at JKIA doesn't seem to be very helpful. Reading through details of the disaster, I am astonished that my local fire station is far ready for a fire than the folks at JKIA, in all sorts of ways. They have better equipment, they train regularly, fire hydrants are inspected regularly, etc. A little story: Some time ago, I put food on the stove and forgot about it when I went to do something else. The fire and smoke alarms went off, and I rushed to the kitchen to find it full off smoke. I took off the pot, opened the windows and doors, etc. Just as I finished doing that, three fire engines and some small vehicles arrived, sirens wailing. That's because the major smoke alarm, which is next to the kitchen is connected, via the phone line, to the fire station. Response time from when the alarms went off: about 8 minutes. The other thing I found hard to understand is the idea of fire engines stuck in traffic. Aren't drivers required to get off the road when a fire engine comes along with sirens on? Even harder to understand is the idea of hydrants without water! Considering the importance of tourism to Kenya (which means a lot of travel into and out of JKIA), exports such as flowers, etc., the cavalier attitudes of those in charge of JKIA is unbelievable. Toddlers to have laptops, but major fires, at major institutions, to be handled by men with sufurias fetching water from toilets! Kweli, Kenya is something else. |
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Post by Daktari wa makazi on Aug 8, 2013 19:11:01 GMT 3
I am disappointed with the wholesome condemnation in this thread.
There was a serious fire which destroyed the arrival hall at JKIA. Fortunately, no fatalities. Investigation are on-going. I hope JKIA will learn lessons and improve its services. I am pleased that flights have resumed and life is gradually getting back to normal.
All you doom-sayers are a big joke. Typical africans! Your comments are simply busybodies with no tangible professional views. If you knew JKIA was a fire hazard waiting to happen, why did you not raise the alarm earlier? Why wait until there is a fire? People like Kamale could, I presume, take their concerns to the highest in the hierarchy - as they both speak the same language! Reading some of the comments you have written suggests that you think JKIA was left deliberately to catch fire. That is simply absurd. With the best will on earth and the responding funds, fire hazards are a common occurrence. Yes, lesson must be learnt and repeat fire occurrence reduced. But to rubbish everything at JKIA because you think you are some smart ass who knows better than the people working there is shallowly pathetic. People, places have been burnt down from time immemorial and will continue to burn down.
I remember sometimes ago a fire at Heathrow terminal 4 which originated from a cafe causes serious damage despite the advanced state of that airport's fire protection. i know that because we were on a flight which was cancelled. Only last month, the whole of Heathrow was closed down after an Ethiopian Airline jet caught fire. Investigation was conducted and improvement undertaking by experts. and happily after, life moved on to all of us as the damage was repaired. You did not see the British going gaga about the Airport!
As for those questioning why a fire engine was stuck in traffic, blame it on the ignorant drivers who may very well be your brothers, sisters, mothers, and so on. Common sense would tell you that the military men with buckets were collecting all the burnt remnant of the fire to be sent for investigation which would help establish how the fire started. The buckets were not used to collect water to put the fire off!
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Post by OtishOtish on Aug 8, 2013 19:35:51 GMT 3
Common sense would tell you that the military men with buckets were collecting all the burnt remnant of the fire to be sent for investigation which would help establish how the fire started. The buckets were not used to collect water to put the fire off! That would be me, son. I was relying on the report from The Standard, which stated that: "... 200 military personnel who came armed with basins of water ... "If you go here: www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000090371&story_title=detectives-comb-through-jkia-to-unravel-cause-of-fireyou will find a photo with the caption: "Security officers rush to fetch water to help put out a fire at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport".It is also the bit that is being reported worldwide. E.g. "Firefighters were desperately short of equipment Wednesday. The airport has fire trucks but some were not filled with water and personnel couldn't be found to drive others. At one point while battling the blaze men in government uniforms lined up to pass buckets of water to fight the fire"www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2013/08/08/international-flights-resuming-at-nairobi-airport/2631757/I missed the bit, which was openly and widely reported, to the effect that they were instead collecting evidence. As for telling the folks who run JKIA that they were poorly equipped to deal with fires, it is not our job to tell others (supposedly professionals) how to do their jobs. Besides, how do you know that we didn't? As for the drivers who were blocking traffic, who they are is not really relevant. What is relevant is that it happened, presumably because of the way the country works. Or should be OK because it was done by brothers, sisters, etc.? |
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Post by Daktari wa makazi on Aug 8, 2013 19:36:04 GMT 3
Since when were you reliant upon the Kenyan press? Were not the one who several times questioned their credibility? All of sudden, the press is gospel truth to you. Give me a break! You are Ki.hii with Aids. |
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