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Madam Daniella Mawusi Ntow-Sarpong, the Volta Regional Fire Commander, has charged operators of fuel and gas filling stations to ensure that customers strictly observe the "Mobile Phones Off" and "No Smoking" instructions at the stations.

She also asked them to prevail on customers to switch off the engines of their vehicles during dispensing of fuel to avoid fire disasters at the stations.

Madam Ntow-Sarpong gave the advice during a fire safety engagement with operators of garages, fuel and gas filling stations in Ho.

She said though the Region had not recorded any fire disaster at fuel and gas filling stations, there were increasing reports of cellular emissions causing fire and underscored the need for those instructions to be observed strictly.

The Regional Commander said cellular emissions and other ignition sources could easily cause fire, especially during the dry season, and cautioned against the 'business as usual attitude' towards safety measures.

She urged the operators to regularly check the valves, pipe connections and electrical installations to avoid fire disasters and invite the Service to supervise discharging of fuel and gas from tankers.

Alhaji Richard Nuhu, the Deputy Regional Fire Commander, asked the operators to clear the bushes around gas and fuel stations and keep combustible materials away from the stations.

He said similar engagements were being done at the districts to further reduce fire disasters in the Region.

Statistic made available to the Ghana News Agency indicate that the Region recorded reduction in fire cases from 137 in December 2015 and January 2016 to 54 cases for December 2016 and January 2017.

The participants were taken through the use of all types of fire extinguishers and fire fighting procedures.