Accra, Dec. 24, GNA – Fire incidents across the country for the first three quarters of this year has reduced by 13.5 per cent.
A total of 4,429 fires were recorded between January and September this year as compared to the 5,027 recorded for the same period last year.
Statistics from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) suggests that, while there had been a reduction in fire incidents, domestic fires were however on the rise.
Some 1,858 domestic fires representing 41.95 per cent of total fires were recorded for the period under review compared to the 1,776 representing 35.33 per cent for the same period last year.
This was followed by commercial and vehicular fires which recorded 762 and 527 incidents respectively.
The figures represent 17.20 per cent and 11.9 per cent.
Statistics made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), indicates that the fire incidents also claimed 211 lives, and left 1,539 people with varying degrees of injury.
The fires which were categorised as domestic, industrial, vehicular, institutional, electrical, commercial and bushfire saw the Ashanti Region topped the chart with 830 fire outbreaks representing 18.74 per cent, while Greater Accra Region followed with 671 cases representing 15.15 per cent out of the 17 Operational Regions.
The North East Region recorded the least cases of fire with 32 incidents, representing 0.72 per cent.
Mr Timothy Osafo-Effum, Assistant Chief Fire officer (ACFO) and the Public Relations Officer of the GNFS expressed worry over the rise in domestic fires.
He said, while the general reduction of fire incidents was commendable, however, the sudden increase in domestic fires was worrying.
Mr Osafo-Effum said the rise in domestic fires could be attributed to poorly executed electrical wiring installation by amateur electricians and the overloading of electrical circuits as well as illegal connections.
He also mentioned, unattended cooking, gas leakages, poor handling of naked fire materials and deliberate acts constituted to the rise in domestic fires.
Mr Osafo-Effum urged members of the public to do well avoid the indiscriminate use of electrical equipment.
He advised the general public to always employ the services of competent electricians that have been certified by the Energy Commission to work on their wiring installation, and be safety concerned at all time.
“We expect the general public to remain fire safety conscious at all times to guarantee a fire free festive season,” he said.
GNA