Arrangements have been completed by the Enugu State Government to set up special fire safety mobile court this year to ensure that all buildings in the state conform to minimal fire safety rules required of them.
The Chief Fire Safety Officer of the state, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, revealed this while speaking to newsmen in Enugu yesterday.
Ohaa spoke in respect of the “Operation Zero (Fire) Outbreak’’ marshaled out by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to check the yearly losses from fire outbreaks in the state.
He said that the mobile court would prosecute owners and caretakers of buildings both public and private that fail to adhere to simple but necessary fire protection needs and provisions.
He maintained that the court would prosecute offenders, who had been previously notified and sensitised on the need to have fire extinguishers in their premises as well as premises with no iota of safety plans or emergency exits.
According to him, government is not going to spare any one as  Governor  Ugwuanyi, has made huge investments in fire safety announcements in local radio and television houses for over a year on the need for residents to get fire extinguishers for the safety of their homes.
The state fire officers, Ohaa went, have carried out enormous education and sensitization on the need for fire extinguishers in eight council areas, 66 markets and 18 schools in the six educational zones of the state in 2021 alone.
tions in eight council areas, and added some new fire fighting units in Ogbete Main Market Enugu, Timber Market, Enugu and more.
His words: “recently we have about three mobile fire fighting units in densely populated areas within the metropolis.
”What the state government is asking for through the fire safety mobile courts is for individuals and corporate organisations to play their part in fire prevention in their own small way,” he added.
Ohaa noted that the Operation Zero Outbreak was highly possible when residents support the government and ensure that “there will be no further loss in the state resulting from fire outbreaks”.
He expressed happiness that fire incidents in the state had drastically reduced compared with previous years, adding that no measure taken on fire safety or safety is sufficient as there is always room for improvement and innovation.
He maintained  that this 2022, government would ensure that all its offices would have fire extinguishers and staff would be well trained to use them early in the year.
“It is a serious matter. We have limited resources and the government will not watch its assets being destroyed by fire.
“As a good maintenance culture, government will protect all its offices, equipment and machinery from fire”.

By: Canice Amadi, Enugu