Assessment of fire safety awareness and practices in students’ halls of residence in selected federal universities in South West Nigeria

Fire outbreaks frequently occur in residential buildings; however, incidents in student halls of residence at Nigerian universities are particularly catastrophic due to the loss of lives and property associated with their multi-occupancy nature. Critical fire safety issues, including lifestyle choices, attitudes, behaviours, and fire safety education, remain insufficiently addressed in student housing. This study, therefore, assessed fire safety awareness and practices among students residing in halls of residence at selected federal universities in Southwest Nigeria. A survey was conducted using questionnaires administered to 617 participants, selected through stratified sampling from 17 halls of residence across four federal universities. Descriptive statistical analysis indicated that, despite the risk posed by frequent use of electrical appliances such as irons and hot plates, fire safety practices were rated moderately high (MS=3.55, SD=1.1313). This was primarily attributed to residents unplugging electrical appliances when not in use, although more than one-third (35.3%) reported cooking in their rooms. In contrast, overall fire safety awareness (MS=2.84, SD=0.4275) was average, with only about half of respondents aware of fire safety instructional notices, posters, or flyers in the halls of residence. These findings highlight the necessity for targeted fire safety drills and education for hostel residents to facilitate more effective responses during fire emergencies.