By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Aug. 08, GNA – The Central Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has recorded an increase in fire outbreaks from 428 in the first quarter of 2021 to 458 in 2022.
The seven per cent increase was largely driven by bushfires, domestic, vehicle collision, industrial and commercial.
Assistant Division Officer (ADO) 111 Abdul Wasui Hudu, the Central Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GNFS, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday.
The PRO expressed worry that despite the intensified fire safety measures adopted across the region, there were still incidents of fire outbreaks.
He attributed the phenomenon to among others, poor handling of naked fires, electrical faults, gas leakages and lack of adherence to safety education by many residents were the predominant causes of the fire outbreaks.
Over the same period, he said, domestic fires increased from 107 to 116, vehicular from 31 to 36, commercial, from 48 to 58, institutional from 11 to 17 as rescue rose from zero to six.
Meanwhile, bushfires decreased from 110 to 96, refuse damp fires decreased from 11 to three with sawdust disasters recording zero.
As part of some preventive measures, he said, the Service had increased fire safety education and training and premises inspections to stem the tide.
He advised the public to be extra careful when using fire and electricity and avoid overloading sockets and extension boards.
The public must also report fire outbreaks as quickly as possible for prompt respond to effectively control to help save life and property.
They should also be extra cautious in dealing with fire outbreaks, saying it was unfortunate that people usually rushed to fire accident scenes without any precautionary measures and urged all to desist from the practice.
Nonetheless, he commended the Service personnel for their dedication and commitment to duty and celebrated all gallant personnel of the Service.
GNA