We are ready for Fire this Xmas Season-Chiketa
By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
The Director, Anambra State Fire Service, Engr Chiketa Chukwudi Emmanuel, Thursday, expressed the readiness of his office to fight fire outbreak this Xmas/harmattan season adding that no stone will be left unturned towards that.
He made this disclosure during his Enlightenment/Sensitization of the traders of the New Auto Spare Parts Market, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, shortly after the weekly prayer session of the market.
He disclosed that the State government has equipped them with water, trucks, chemical compounds, among others, adding that they are working round the clock to ensure safety of lives and properties.
He urged the traders to always switch off all the electrical appliances in their houses, shops, that include, generator, TV, and fans prior to leaving.
“Do not overload switches, extension boxes to avoid melting of wires which resulted in smoke and then spark off fire.
“Hurding of fuel in our shops, houses are dangerous, the market chairmen should monitor the cooks in the market through their security men to ensure that they quench the fire after cooking.
He also advised the market chairmen to monitor their security men to detect saboteurs among them as sometimes they are bought over to cause the fire outbreak aimed at robbing and stealing good.
Contributing, the Assistance Chief Fire Superintendent, Mr Kingsley Nwabueze, stated that his office oversees the teaching, enlightenment and training of people on the prevention of fire and also on how to use fire extinguisher, stating that some are ignorance of the usage.
He disclosed that we should not fight the smoke of the fire or frame but to target the fire extinguisher at the root of the fire or on the particular object that is on fire.
The Chairman of the Market, Oforleh Stephen Obiora, (a k a Award), disclosed that they are here based on the agenda of the Governor to make sure that the state is safe especially at this period, the market has put in place some measures before now to ensure there is no fire outbreak in the market.
He disclosed that the market has a functional overhead tank, with fire extinguisher in all the blocks in the market including control switches installed at every block which are handled by blocks chairmen, and they off it every day at the end of the day before leaving.
Oforleh disclosed further that the market structure is superb in terms of fighting fire outbreak as it is decked and if incidentally it happens it must be within that particular place, no extension.
He explained that every trader in the market fills his/ her tank with not more than five litres of fuel each day which would last for the hours of businesses, and nobody stores fuel in his tank for anything.
