Upper West recorded 145 fire outbreaks in 2011

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) recorded a total of 145 fire outbreaks in the Upper West Region last year.

Estimated cost of damage to property amounted to GH¢174,953.00.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Mr. Kweku Manu Afful, Regional Fire Officer, gave the statistics to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday at Wa.

He said out of the 145 fire outbreaks, 80 of them representing 55.2%, were domestic fires, 47 bush fires representing 32.4%, 12 vehicular fires representing 8.3% and six industrial fires representing 4.1%.

Mr. Afful said the highest number of 45 fire outbreaks was recorded in the month of December followed by 21 in November and 19 in February with only four recorded in January.

He said fire if not handled with extra caution, could be very dangerous and disastrous.

He said mishandling of fire could claim lives and destroy properties, which would bring poverty and suffering into families.

Mr. Afful, therefore, appealed to the public to exercise great care when dealing with fire to prevent loss of human lives and damage to properties.

Source: GNA