Mosquito repellents not fire extinguishers – Fire officer cautions drivers

A Safety Officer at the Ashaiman Fire Station, Rolling Tengay, has admonished drivers against the use of mosquito repellents as fire extinguishers.

According to him, some commercial drivers have resorted to the use of mosquito repellents and “unmatched fire extinguishers” in their vehicles instead of standard and prescribed fire extinguishers.

Giving the caution as a guest at the official out-dooring of the Ashaiman GPRTU task-force over the weekend, the fire officer said, fire extinguishers are first gadgets meant to combat fires before the arrival of the GNFS personnel in the event of a vehicle catching fire, hence must not be taken for granted.

Reacting to claims that the police sometimes remove safety pins of fire extinguishers when drivers provoke them or to find out whether they are intact, Mr. Tengay advised his fellow security men to stop the practice since the fire extinguisher becomes useless and ineffective as soon the safety pin is detached.

Safety Officer Rolling Tengay further advised drivers to use fire extinguishers meant for a particular vehicle and make sure they are always filled with the chemical to help them quench fire while they call for fire personnel, depending on the intensity of the fire.