WE ARE READY TO FIGHT FIRE THIS SEASON–CHIKETA
By Juliana Nwachukwu :
The Director, Anambra State Fire Service, Engr Chiketa Chukwudi Emmanuel has expressed the readiness of his office to fight fire outbreak this harmattan season which is one of the agenda of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to ensure that fire outbreak is minimized in the state this period.
Enlightening/Sensitizing the traders of the New Auto Spare Parts Market, Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, today, Engr Chiketa made this known shortly after the weekly prayer of the market.
He said that the state government has equipped them with water, trucks, chemical compounds, explaining that they are working round the clock to ensure safety of lives and property.
While sensitizing the traders, he urged them to always off all the electrical appliances in their houses, shops, like generator, TV, Fans before closing for the day or leaving the house.
“Do not overload switches, and extension boxes to avoid melting of wires which resulted to smoke and then fire.
“Hudding 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 off the fire well after cooking.
He also advised the market chairmen to monitor their security men to check if there is any saboteur among them because they sometimes cause the fire outbreak to rob people’s money and goods, adding that some people pay them atimes to do that against their enemies.
The Assistant Chief Fire Superintendent, Mr Kingsley Nwabueze said that his office oversees the teaching, enlightening and training of people on the prevention of fire and how to use fire extinguisher, saying that some have to buy but are ignorant of the usage.
He emphasized that we should not fight the smoke of the fire or flame but to target the fire extinguisher at the root of the fire or on the particular object that is on fire.
The Market Chairman, Oforleh Stephen Obiora, said, “they are here based on the agenda of the Governor to make sure that state is safe especially this period the market have put in place some measures before now to ensure there is no fire outbreak in the market.
He reiterated that the market has a functional overhead tank, that fire extinguisher are mounted at all the blocks in the market likewise control switches at every block which are handled by blocks chairmen, and they off it every day at the end of the day before leaving.
Oforleh also said that the market structure is superb in terms of fighting fire outbreak because it is decked, if it happens at all, it must be that particular place, no extension.
According to him, every trader in the market fills his/her tank with not more than 5 litres of fuel each day which would last for the hours of businesses, and nobody stores fuel in his tank for anything.
*Juliana is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State