GNFS expresses worry over high number of fire cases recorded on Christmas day
Forty-four fire outbreaks were recorded across the country on Christmas Day (25th December), the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has revealed.
Tema Region recorded the highest of 11 fires, followed by the Ashanti Region with six fires and the Accra Region with five fires.
A statement issued by the GNFS advised the public to be cautious during the festivities following the onset of harmattan.
“The management of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has observed a sudden rise in fire cases and is cautioning the general public to be very cautious during the festivities till the end of the dry (harmattan)season by abiding by basic fire safety practices in order to reduce the incidents of fire outbreaks.”
“The Service recorded a total of 44 fires nationwide on Christmas Day. Out of the total fires recorded, 19 were domestic, nine commercial, eight bushfires, five vehicular, two electrical installations fires and one crown fire involving a coconut tree. The out-on-arrival fire cases recorded were nine,” the GNFS statement said.
Meanwhile, GNFS records of fire incidences for 2021 shows that total fire outbreaks amounted to 6,116 across the Nation.
“The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the year 2021, responded to 6,116 fire cases across the country.
Out of the number, 2,250 cases representing 37.8 per cent were “home fires.”
The Chief Fire Officer, Julius Kuunuor Aalebkure, said “these fires resulted in the deaths of 25 people.”
“…The unfortunate thing about these fires is that most of them are preventable, meaning, we could have prevented some of these deaths from occurring,” he stressed in a statement.
Some Ghanaians saw officers of the Service on a float, educating the public on fire safety to mark this year’s Fire Safety Week.
The 2022 Fire Safety Week is being observed under the theme: “Safe Environment; Key to Investment.”
