Tempering with meters cause fire outbreaks in Tema

Tema, Jan. 18, GNA - Most domestic fire outbreaks in the Tema municipality are due to the tempering with meters by some residents to reduce the velocity of the apparatus to avoid high electricity bills. Mr Alex M. Hughes, Tema Municipal Fire Officer, who said this in an interview with the GNA on Saturday, urged residents in the area to report such practices to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) or the law enforcement agencies for the appropriate action.

He said 34 out of a total number of 178 domestic fires attended to by the Ghana Fire Service in the municipality were due to electrical faults with most occurring as a result of the tempering with meter by some residents. Mr Hughes said: "I have informed the ECG about the situation but it asked me to submit a paper on the matter". He also advised parents to guard against their children tempering with electrical gadgets since some domestic fires were as a result of the practice.

Mr Hughes said there was a decrease in the number of fire outbreaks in the Tema area "because of intensification of education carried out by the Ghana Fire Service in the schools and the industrial companies". He appealed to developers to create free passages in buildings for escape during fire outbreaks and other disasters. 18 Jan 04