Intensive and sustained fire prevention campaign by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Ashanti Region is paying off as both the number of incidents and destruction to property begin to show significant decline.

The region, over the past nine months recorded a total of 599 cases with property costing about GH¢8.8 million lost compared with last year’s same period cases of 836 with property running into about GH¢15 million ravaged.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Philip Aheng-Mensah, the Regional Fire Officer, said the scale of fatality was, however, on the high side.

Nine lives had been lost by the end of the third quarter, as against the previous year’s figure of four (4).

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Kumasi, he said domestic fires topped the list of cases, with 268 outbreaks between January and September, followed by commercial fires.

The other incidents involved industrial, vehicle, institutional, electrical and wildfires.

DCFO Aheng-Mensah said the achievements came on the back of carefully planned and well-coordinated measures adopted by the fire-fighters.

They have been carrying out routine inspection to check electrical connections at the markets, industries and offices.

Added to this, is the education of drivers, market women, traders and school children on what to do to avoid fire accidents.

He said they would not become complacent but continue to work with a lot of energy, passion and commitment to drastically reduce fire incidents and its associated devastation.

DCFO Aheng-Mensah cautioned the public to be careful in their use of gas and electrical gadgets and appliances, adding that, they should also get fire extinguishers in their homes.

He complained against phoney telephone calls they continue to receive from unscrupulous people and said that must stop.