Accra (Greater Accra) 15, Oct. '98 Nearly 700 cases of fire outbreak were reported to the Regional Fire Station in Accra between January and the end of September compared with nearly 800 cases for the whole of last year.

Mr Gabby Annor, Acting operations officer said 698 fire outbreaks were reported during the period but 66 were false cases.

Speaking to the GRi, he said last year, 796 fire cases were reported out of which 70 were false alarms.

Mr Annor attributed the high figures this year to the power rationing exercise.

He said most of the fires which destroyed mainly personal property and life were caused by candles, generators and electrical gadgets left unattended.

Mr Annor said between now and December fire outbreaks would reduce since the power curtailment exercise has reduced.

He said the fire service has for sometime now been pestered with false calls from the public adding that such false calls are normally high during vacations where students use the phone card system to deceive them.

Mr Annor appealed to the public to desist from such acts and to co-operate with the service to prevent the occurrence of last weekend's incident where some residents of Ashaiman assaulted firemen who did not have a fire tender to put off a fire.

He urged the public to call 192 during fire outbreaks for assistance. GRi