The Western Regional Fire Service Command has from January 2020 to date recorded a total of 189 fire outbreaks as against 182 cases last year.
Out of the figure, five people lost their lives, while three sustained various degrees of injuries.
ACFO Gaddiel Napoleon Amoah Ebonyi, Regional Fire Service Commander, who announced this during a press briefing at Fijai, a suburb of Takoradi, called on the people of the Metropolis to be extra cautious in dealing with fire outbreaks.
He said it was unfortunate that people usually rushed to fire accident scenes without any precautionary measures and urged them to desist from the practice.
The Regional Fire Commander said the Region also recorded six road traffic collision incidents, with one person sustaining injuries.
He said the Service would continue to create and sustain awareness of the public on fire prevention and safety precautions.
ACFO Ebonyi said the Service would continue to educate the public on basic fire fighting using fire extinguishers so as to reduce fire incidents to the barest minimum.
The Regional Commander explained that fire extinguishers are only useful in fighting fires at the initial stages of fire outbreaks.
“Once a fire is well developed, it requires professional hands to handle it," he said.
The Regional Commander noted with concern that usually during their response to road traffic collision incidents as well as other hazardous goods incidents such as leakage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and fuel tankers/bulk road vehicle (BRV) spillage of fuel they face the challenge of teeming crowds who either rush to the scene to catch a glimpse of the incident, scoop spilled fuel or to help extinguish the fire.
He said though they appreciate the efforts of the public to assist on such occasions, he, however, advised them to stay away from such scenes and desist from the practice of siphoning and scooping fuel from tankers/bulk road vehicles involved in road accidents.
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