Sunyani, Jan 5, GNA - The Ghana National Fire Service in Brong Ahafo recorded 262 fire outbreaks from January to November 2006 in which three people lost their lives whilst 17 others sustained various degrees of injury.

The Service is yet to collate that of December. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Mr. Alex Martels Hughes, Brong Ahafo Regional Head of the Service, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Thursday that property worth more than five billion cedis was damaged.

Property worth more than 439 billion cedis was however saved in the outbreaks.

Mr. Hughes attributed the cause of the outbreaks to carelessness, negligence, accidental and power surge. Giving the breakdown, Mr. Hughes said 137 out of the outbreaks were domestic with 69 being bush fires and 20 vehicular. Seven of the outbreaks were caused by electrical faults, such as from transformers, power outages, overloading and over heating of sockets.

Mr. Hughes said two fire outbreaks were recorded in institutions such as schools and hotels, whilst fires caused by refuse dumps that spread to other places were 12.

He noted with concern how people had thrown caution to the wind, caring less about their safety and that of their properties. "Although it is mandatory for institutions, organizations and homes to have fire safety plans to ensure the safety of people and property, most of them are not doing so."

Mr. Hughes decried the poor working conditions of fire officers, citing means of communication and few fire tenders as their major problems.

Brong Ahafo has 12 fire tenders out which three have broken down whilst three out of the 19 districts are without fire stations. He said the nature of the work demands that they live close to the people to give immediate response to any occurrence, but "here we are in a situation where by the time we get there, all hope will be lost through no fault of ours".

The Regional Fire Officer said the Service was liaising with the district assemblies to clear unauthorized structures to enable fire personnel to gain easy access and cautioned the public to be careful with fires during the harmattan season.