Tema, Jan. 12, GNA -- The Tema Regional Office of Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) recorded 230 fire outbreaks in 2008 as compared to 277 in 2007. Tema Metropolitan Fire Station recorded 185 fire outbreaks, 28 by Ashaiman Fire Station, Tema Industrial nine, Dodowa Fire station eight and Ada station id not record any fire outbreak. Ninety of the fire outbreaks were domestic, 12 industrial, 35 vehicular, 25 electrical, 26 commercial, 22 bushfires and 20 other fires including those caused by burning of rubbish. Mr Prince Billy Anaglatey, Tema Regional Fire Public Affairs Officer, speaking to Ghana News Agency on Monday said two people lost their lives and several people sustained injuries during the period. He said 46 of the fires were recorded in January when most people out of excitement became careless in preventing avoidable fires during the Yuletide.

Mr Anaglatey attributed the reduction in fire outbreaks to intensified fire safety education which included door to door education and fire prevention programmes in the markets. He said a situational report on identified fire hazards in various markets in Tema had been submitted to Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and other stakeholders for study and action. Some recommendation in the report are the repositioning of structures on fire hydrants in the markets, controlling of illegal electrical connections, and provision of accessible routes to the markets during fire outbreaks by the assembly. Mr Anaglatey advised the public against using metals and hairpins to replace faulty electrical fuse as the practice could cause fire explaining that such metals could not cut off excess heat energy to electrical gadgets.

He urged them not to place gas cylinders inside the kitchen and not to switch on the light during gas leakage. On some challenges facing the Service, Mr Anaglatey said it had only two fire tenders instead of five and had to seek for support from fire departments at Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO).