ADO1 Clifford Ashie Teiko of the Bechem Fire Station has revealed that vehicular fires are on the rise in the Tano South Municipality of the Ahafo region, a situation that he is deeply concerned about.

Speaking to the media, he revealed several signs that indicate if a car is about to catch fire, explaining that fuel leaks, electrical system failures, and battery faults can all lead to a fire outbreak in the car and thus warning drivers to be cautious when they experience the aforementioned indications of vehicular fires.

He provided safety advice that drivers must follow when they notice smoke in their car, indicating that drivers must abruptly stop moving in a safe area where people will not be severely affected if the detected smoke bursts into flames and ensure all passengers in the said car are safely offloaded.

He added that drivers must call for help before attempting to extinguish smoke in a car with their fire extinguishers, emphasising that if smoke is detected in the bonnet, drivers must refrain from immediately opening the bonnet without assurance of being able to extinguish the fire because once the bonnet is opened, it allows air (a contributing factor to a fire outbreak) into the bonnet, which will subsequently blow up the smoke into flame.

In order to prevent the potential destruction that a fire may cause, ADO1 Clifford Ashie Teiko added that drivers who are unsure of how to use a fire extinguisher should immediately contact the Fire Service for assistance.

The fire officer emphasised the importance of drivers having fire extinguishers in their vehicles to assist them in emergency fire situations.

He stated that it is legally required for a driver to install fire extinguishers and ensure they have a basic understanding of how to use them for their own safety.