In many African communities, fire hazards are a concern due to the materials used for building and daily activities such as cooking and heating. The risks are increased by the use of highly flammable materials in homes and the absence of fire prevention measures. A major fire in a Johannesburg building in 2023, for example, claimed dozens of lives and highlighted the need for improved fire safety, especially in urban and informal settlements where combustible materials are widespread.
Rhoda Afriyie Mensah is a fire protection engineer specialising in the flammability of materials. Her research focuses on understanding how materials behave under fire conditions. The aim is to improve fire safety, especially in people’s homes. In this article, she explains the fire risks associated with materials commonly found in African homes and provides five fire safety tips to help reduce these dangers.
