Property worth over one million Ghana cedis lost in fire outbreaks

Tema, Sept 2, GNA - The Tema Regional Office of the Ghana National Fire Service has said property estimated at GH¢ 1,140,535.00, was lost in fire outbreaks in the region between January and July.

Out of the amount, GH¢ 1, 128,185 was recorded in the first half of the year, while GH¢ 12,350 was lost in July.

Mr Timothy Osafo-Affum, the Regional Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Service, told the GNA in an interview on Wednesday that three people lost their lives during the period.

Mr Osafo-Affum said his outfit recorded 100 fire outbreaks for the first half of the year, which showed a decrease in the 141 recorded for the same period in 2009.

Domestic fires topped the list with 34 cases, followed by 15 bush fires, while commercial, vehicular, electrical and institutional fires followed in that order with 12, 11, 10 and one cases.

Mr Osafo-Affum attributed the decrease to his outfit's intensive and frequent fire education programmes that were carried out at market places, schools, lorry parks and companies.

He commended the residents for adhering to the education they received on fire prevention as 93some of them even put the fire under control before our men got to the scene".

Mr Osafo-Affum said the region had only one tender at the Tema Metropolitan Office which served the entire region that consists of the Tema Metropolis, Ashaiman Municipality, Dangbe East and Dangbe West districts.