I went through hell on Friday. While on my assignment in the explosion proof building, the fire alarm went off. The foreman and supervisor and me all looked at each other and realise that something big is happening. Prior to this, no alarm went off to signal that system was out of control. Therefore the alarm must mean flash fire beyond control.
When we stepped out of the control room, we saw the boys running out of the changing room, still in their cleanroom uniform. They were shouting "Get out!!! Fire, Fire!!" Foreman Z rush into the C/R to check the situation. What he saw was thick black smoke coming from the 2nd Floor vestibule. He rushed down and out of the building. I was standing at the corridor when I saw foreman Z. Then I went out and looked for the smoke trace. I found it was coming from the upper floors only. I told the Facility guys, and then I left the building to check on the boys.
They were shocked and disorganised. I told them to do headcount, and they start to organise themselves. They were hysterical, and I had to command them to calm down. We confirmed that everone was out.
Then the fire trucks and rhinos arrived, followed by the police. The fire extinguishing system was auto released within 30 secs of the alarm. The fire was put out before the emergency unit arrived. But then there were still dark smoke coming out from the top. The Fire fighters went in to check and clear the building. No one was trapped inside, and no one was injured.
The top mgmt came within few minutes of the fire activation. I can see from their face the dollar signs moving in their head. This is terrible. I felt responsible cause I was the most Senior person in the Bldg when it happened.
Could I have done more, even though I was there as Mgmt Support for them? Would it be any different if had the foreman still be in the Prod area instead of the Control room where I was conducting the 5S exercise? Foreman Z could have saved the day if he was in the Prod area. Maybe he could not? Maybe the fire was too big that he tried, but could not save himself then, cos he is too brave. Maybe, he managed to put out the fire and stop the Fire Ext. System? May be, maybe, maybe.....
I have all this questions & guilt feelings, like more could have been done. Was there more can be done? I stood there looking at the smoke coming out. I looked at the boys, and realised that there was more than myself involved in this. I pity the boys, they did their best, but the blame will go to them.
I could not do more but wonder. The whole episode runs through my head again and again. I can't get it out of my system. These few days I try to find refuge, by going out with my daughter, meeting my sister to talked it out.
I have to put things in perspective. I should be glad that no lives were loss. Walls and ceilings can be fixed. No machines or equipment were destroyed. Only the facade of the Prod area were affected. Apparently, the boots and rags that caught fire were the source of the black smoke. The Fire Extinguishing system was working fine. It stopped the Fire from spreading, and the building from exploding. None of the Safety system was breached in the Fire. I have to count my blessings. What was done cannot be undone. I have to count my blessings right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment