Five hundred and forty-nine fire outbreaks occurred in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs between January and August this year, and destroyed property estimated at GH¢3,743,343,9.
The highest figure of 117 fires recorded during that period occurred in January, and destroyed property estimated at GH¢2,613,259.90.
In February 104 fire outbreaks were recorded, which destroyed property estimated at GH¢204,784.
The Ashanti Regional Fire Officer, Mr Obeng D. Dwamena, told the Daily Graphic that a lot of property had been destroyed through fire outbreaks, and appealed to residents to take preventive measures to reduce the spate of fire outbreaks.
The interview was to draw the attention of the public to the dangers of fire outbreaks in recent times so that they could collaborate with personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to bring the situation under control.
Mr Dwamena said notwithstanding the educational drive being undertaken by the GNFS 79 fire outbreaks which destroyed property estimated at GH¢79,840 were recorded in March this year but the number reduced to 59 in April, 2008, “however, property destroyed was estimated at GH¢349,095”.
He said in May this year a total of 61 fire outbreaks, which destroyed property estimated at Gh¢258,787, was also recorded, but the number reduced to 42 fire outbreaks in June. Property estimated at GH¢81,150 .
He said in July "a total of 44 fire outbreaks which destroyed property estimated at GH¢93,823 was destroyed were recorded in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
In August 43 fire outbreaks were recorded and property estimated at GH¢53,823, was destroyed.
According to Mr Dwamena, the highest domestic fire outbreaks were recorded between January and August. He put the figure at 248 domestic fire outbreaks, followed by 72 commercial fire outbreaks.
He said 62 vehicles were burnt and 59 bush fires also occured during the period under review.
The Regional Fire Officer noted that during the same period in 2007, 584 fire outbreaks which destroyed property estimated at GH¢3,984,918.9 were recorded in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
He said the highest figure of 94 fire outbreaks recorded last year was in March, and an estimated property of GH¢1,570,799 was totally destroyed.
February 2007 recorded 64 fire outbreaks, which was the second highest for the year, “and property estimated at GH¢189,427.7 were totally destroyed".
"August 2007 saw 50 fire outbreaks, but caused much damage because property worth GH¢304,398 were lost through fire outbreaks that month".
In 2008 when domestic fire outbreaks took the centre stage, as many as 303 domestic fire outbreaks were recorded between January and August last year because residents did not take precautionary measures to prevent fire outbreaks.
He said 99 bushfires, 52 vehicular fires with 48 and 37 commercial and industrial fires respectively were recorded last year.
He said in 2007 while two institutional fire outbreaks were recorded between January and August, this year 12 institutional fire outbreaks were recorded during the period under review.
Mr Dwamena said the GNFS would not relent in its effort to sensitise the public on the dangers of fire outbreaks, and had, therefore visited a number of basic schools to educate the pupils on preventive measures needed to be taken.
He said the pupils had also been sensitised to the measures that should be taken as soon as they detected any fire outbreak.
He said apart from educational institutions, they were also interacting with churches spread across the Kumasi metropolis to educate the congregation on what to do when the need arose. He urged corporate bodies, industries, firms and individuals to collaborate effectively with the personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service in their quest to sensitise the public to measures that should be taken to prevent fire outbreaks in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
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