The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has notice a new trend of fire outbreaks in the northern region which has become a worry to the firefighting organization. According to the GNFS Northern Regional Public Relations, ADOII Hudu Baba, the region in 2022 experienced such new trend which succeeded in ravaging uncompleted buildings, especially at new settlements.
He lamented these types of fires amounted to 12 in 2022 representing 3.10% against 9 representing 2.45% in 2021.
“It is however, disheartening to say that 4 of such fires have already been recorded in the first two weeks of January 2023” he added.
ADOII Baba made this disclosure in a statement copied to THE CUSTODIAN on Fire and Related Incidents Statistics for the year 2022.
According to data from the GNFS, domestic fires lead by 203, follows by commercial 53, electrical 42 and bushfires 41. The rest are vehicular 19, institutional 12 and other fires 21.
146 out on arrival cases were recorded in 2022 as against 139 for the same period in 2021. January and December recorded the highest fires of 81 and 76 representing 20.72% and 19.44% respectively.
THE CUSTODIAN has gathered that the Northern Region recorded a total number of 391 fires from January 1 to December 31, 2022, with an estimated cost of damage to properties at GHS 7, 426,219.2.
This is against 367 fires with a corresponding estimated cost of damage to properties at GHS 4,025,092.00 for the same period in 2021. This rate of increase in the fire outbreaks recorded for the period under review was 6.54%.
ADOII Baba noted that the cost of items salvaged from these fires amounted to GHS 8,718,786 for the period under review as against GHS 8,206,055 for same period in 2021 representing an increase of 6.25%.
“This gives credence to a lot more properties saved from fire ruins. An average of fire was recorded in day during the year in 2022.
“Thankfully no life was lost through fires, flooding, depths and heights rescue. However, the period recorded 87 injuries whilst 12 lives were unfortunately lost through 10 road traffic collision incidentally in 2022 as against 17 lives through 14 incidents for the same period in 2021 representing a decrease of 5.88%” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Tamale Metro Fire Station recorded the highest number of 94 fires which represent 24% of the total fires for 2022, followed closely by Regional Headquarters Sub-Station 87 which represents 22.25%.
The Sagnarigu and Tamale Teaching Hospital fire stations followed with 69 and 61 fires representing 17.64% and 15.6% respectively, and Yendi, Savelugu stations recorded 44 and 28 fires representing 11.25% and 7.2 % respectively while Bimbilla Fire Station recorded the lowest figure of 8 fires representing 2%.
The Public Relations Officer said some of the causes of these fires are attributed to electrical faults which stem from circuit overload, arcing, short circuit, inferior cables, compromised or poorly done electrical installations, over-aged wires and earthing problems.
In addition, Gas leakages, unattended cooking: unattended lit candles; mosquito coils, matches and poorly done hot works from welding, bush burning and deliberate acts.
Nonetheless, ADOII Baba said the Northern Command will intensify their efforts through the sensitization campaign started and christened 1 Fireman to educate 100 people. He maintained the general public must ensure positive changes in their attitudes and avoid pranking the service on its emergency numbers.
