The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GNFS, Divisional Officer II Mr Ellis Robinson Okoe, who said this, noted that fire occurrences in the dry season were rampant in markets because during such periods, the atmosphere became very windy and the slightest flame which came into contact with any combustible material could spark fire and easily spread across an entire market, leading to the loss of properties and sometimes lives.

Speaking with the Daily Graphic, Mr Okoe said such fires spread quickly and were difficult to put out due to the layout of the market stalls and stores, as well as the weather conditions.

Alarming numbers

Mr Okoe said last year, the country recorded 658 cases of commercial fires, which included those in markets, making commercial fires the highest among the incidents.

He attributed the development to illegal wiring in the markets as well as cooking which also exposed the market stalls and stores to naked flames.

Consequently, Mr Okoe advised the authorities in charge of the markets, particularly the assemblies, to have designated places for cooking.

“If we have such places, everybody will do their cooking there and in case there is any carelessness which may result in fire, it will easily be detected and attended to. This will prevent fire outbreaks from avoidable mistakes in the markets,” Mr Okoe said.

He further called on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to deploy its staff to check on electrical wiring in the markets to ensure that proper connections were done and all electrical wires were up to standard.

“Between December 24, last year, and January 4, this year, the country recorded 243 fire outbreaks and comparing to last year, the country has started the dry season on a very bad note and if strict measures are not taken, the figures will increase and that means lives and more properties will be lost,” he emphasised.

Other safety measures

Stressing that naked flames needed to be handled with care in homes, Mr Okoe said that gas cylinders must be checked occasionally to be able to identify leakages before they caused any harm.

“One can easily detect leakages by smearing soapy water on the tube that connects to the stove; if it’s leaking, bubbles will form around it. People must also not put stone on the regulator. They must make sure that the cylinder and the stove are all in good condition before using them,” he advised.

Mr Okoe also urged individuals who store flammable materials in their homes to ensure that they are always far from any naked flame.

He also advised farmers, hunters and all others who used fire in their field of work to be wary of their activities to ensure that they don’t cause any fire outbreaks.

“During this time, the weather is very dry and it is easy to have a fire break out when heat comes into contact with materials such as paper, clothes and dry leaves; people need to be more cautious in their homes and offices around this time.

“People must not overload sockets that connect their electrical appliances, and before they leave the house, it is always safe that gadgets are put off. People must also make sure that the curtains do not get closer to the sockets, this is because when the sockets are not switched off, they can overheat and cause fire and if the curtains are in the way, that easily spreads the fire,” Mr Okoe stressed.