Brong-Ahafo records 404 fire outbreaks in 2014

The Brong-Ahafo Region recorded 404 fire outbreaks with four deaths in 2014.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Kwame Larbi-Apraku, Regional Director of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday in Sunyani, said the figure for 2013 was 677.

ACFO Larbi-Apraku said even though the cases were reduced by 30 per cent, the Service had targeted 70 per cent reduction this year and would, therefore, strengthen and extend their educational mechanisms from lorry parks and major markets to offices and homes.

He advised the general public to desist from using coal pot and gas cookers at the same time in a kitchen as too much heat at a place could result in fire outbreak.

ACFO Larbi-Apraku observed that with education and carefulness by the populace, especially on the use of gas, fire outbreaks could be reduced drastically to save lives and property.

He said gas cylinders should not be placed in confined areas but should be placed outside the kitchen to enable wind to blow away the gas in case of leakage.

ACFO Larbi-Apraku advised the general public to constantly change the rubber on top of their cylinders to prevent leakage and not to place stones and other heavy objects on the cylinder since it was dangerous and could cause disaster.

He announced that there had been a ban on hunting in the region till the first and second rains appear, adding that the Service, together with the police, had started moving around to arrest recalcitrant hunters and farmers who set fire in the bush to destroy the forest.

ACFO Larbi-Apraku asked the general public to engage the services of qualified electricians in either wiring their houses or repairing their faulty electrical gadgets as a measure to prevent domestic fire outbreaks.

He advised house owners and institutions to rewire their apartments that were over 20 years since the wires could be affected by heat or destroyed by mice.

ACFO Larbi-Apraku appealed to the municipal and district chief executives to assist fire volunteers in their localities with logistics to enable them to function effectively.