Federal fire Service says inadequate fire stations cause loss of lives, property

Mr Collins Elechi, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), has attributed the frequent loss of lives and property in fire incidents to inadequate fire service stations in the country.

Elechi made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

He said that the closer the fire stations to the scene of disasters, the better the chances of containing the outbreaks.

“Fire service stations ought to be between one kilometer and two kilometers away from scene of incidents.

“Hydrant locations should be between 100 metres and 150 metres, depending on the urban set up and design.

“When you have a fire service station that is close to the scene of disaster, the crew will always arrive on time to contain the situation,” he said.

Elechi called on state and local governments to provide more functional fire stations in their areas to address the issue of losses during fire outbreaks.

He also advised the general public to avoid storing fuel and other inflammable items in the house, especially during the harmattan.

Elechi, then, stressed the need to obey the ban on fireworks during the yuletide, adding that they were as dangerous as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

He further advised the public against overloading of electricity sockets and use of water in putting off electricity-related fire outbreaks.

The public relations officer urged the public to always call emergency toll free lines: 122 and 112 in case of fire outbreak or other related incidents.

NAN recalls that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, had also said that the ban on the use of fireworks and knockouts was still in force in the country.