Agency Blames Fire Outbreaks On Petroleum Products Hoarding

The chief fire officer,
Nasarawa Fire Service, Alhaji Dogara Dalhatu, has said that most of the fire outbreaks recorded were caused by hoarding of petroleum  products in homes, improper connection of electric cables,  bush burning and power surge.
He said that some fire were due  to carelessness on the part of parents  who allowed their children access to matches and combustible materials.
Dalhatu who disclosed this to journalists in Lafia, said that his  office received 127 distress  calls from January to December 2014.
According to him, 107 of the 127 distress calls recorded were fire incidents  while the  remaining 10 emergency calls were false alarms.
He said that seven lives were lost, while 28 others were saved through rescue operation by men  of the Fire Service during  the period.
According to him, property worth more than N44 million were lost to the fire as against the recovery of property valued at N692 million during the rescue  operations.
The Fire chief advised residents in the area to always switch off electrical appliances before leaving their homes, and as well urged them to employ the services  to avoid fires.
He said people should  keep their environment clean, to avoid fire resulting from bush-burning, adding that residents should  acquire fire-fighting equipment such as fire  extinguishers and other fire fighting chemicals.
While expressing gratitude to the state  government for procuring  modern equipment for the service, Dalhatu appealed for  more  assistance for effective  service,  and  urged  the people  to keep their environment clean to avoid fire from bush burning.