The Ashanti Region recorded a total of 625 fire outbreaks in 2010 as against 661 the previous year, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Philip Aheng Mensah, Regional Fire Officer, has said.
He noted that the outbreaks which comprised domestic, industrial, vehicular, bush burning and institutional, resulted in 39 deaths and 169 injuries while property worth several thousands of Ghana Cedis were destroyed.
ACFO Mensah indicated that his outfit also recorded 17 false calls about fire outbreaks during the year under review.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, he attributed the reduction in fire outbreaks to sustained educational campaigns by his outfit and urged the public to stay off practices that could cause fire outbreaks.
ACFO Mensah said one area of great concern was the use of over- aged fire appliances and equipment.
He said six fire stations at Kuntenase, Agona, Ejura, New Edubiase, Fomena and Nkenkaasu do not have fire fighting appliances, while those at Manhyia, Mamponteng, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Bekwai were defective.
The Regional Fire Officer said his outfit had put in place measures to carry out periodic preventive maintenance to salvage the equipment to put them into good use.
ACFO Mensah identified residential accommodation as one major problem confronting the service, saying the personnel are scattered in the Kumasi metropolis and districts, making it difficult to mobilise them when duty calls.
He appealed to the assemblies to resource the service with the necessary equipment to facilitate operations.