The Ghana National Fire Service says a total of 580 fire outbreaks were recorded in 2023, compared to the 650 fire outbreaks recorded in 2022 in the Eastern Region.
According to the command, the reduction of fire outbreaks by 70, representing a 10.77% decrease, can be attributed to intensive fire safety education.
With the exception of domestic, industrial, and commercial fires, which experienced an increase in 2023, all other categories witnessed a decline, notably institutional and bushfires.
In the categories that saw a decrease, this occurred due to intensified fire education and safety by the command; however, in the categories that saw an increase, non-adherence to best fire safety practices can be attributed.
In a statement issued by the regional command on January 17, negligence and carelessness, accidents, and non-adherence to fire safety and prevention education provided by the service were identified as the three main causes of fire outbreaks in the region.
Poor housekeeping, electrical faults, hunting for games, non-compliance with PNDC Law 229 regarding clearing lands for farming, and indiscriminate burning were also identified as other sources of fire outbreaks.
Outlining an action plan to reduce fire incidents in 2024, the command indicated that the surest way to decrease fire outbreaks is to intensify fire safety education in various communities through regular radio presentations, organizing public education programs at schools, companies, churches, lorry stations, institutions, stepping up house-to-house education campaigns, and using social media to reach the masses.
The command, however, urges the general public to take the fire safety education provided by service personnel seriously. It recommends having firefighting equipment, such as fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and smoke detectors, installed on all premises to ensure early detection of fires before they escalate.