The Anambra State Fire Service on Sunday said it recorded and attended 119 fire incidents across the state from January to December 2022.

Martins Agbili, director, State Fire Service, made this known to journalists in Awka, the state capital.

Mr Agbili attributed the incessant fire outbreaks in the state to the high level of unconsciousness in the handling of fires and other inflammable materials. 

He lamented that valuables worth millions of naira were being lost daily to avoidable fire outbreaks.  

According to him, the rate of fire incidents calls for concern, and as a responsible and responsive government that places the safety of its citizenry at a premium, efforts were made to address the situation

“Fire outbreaks in the state have become a perennial problem. It leaves enormous material damage, injury to persons and disruption of economic and social life.

“Some of the fire cases are mostly caused by negligence on the part of those who use it, hence the need to prioritise the management and prevention of fires in our environment to avoid destruction of lives and properties,” he said.

While calling for the support of residents, the fire chief promised that the firefighters would continue to intensify efforts to reduce fire outbreaks in the state.

“Everyone has a role to play in the mitigation of fire outbreaks. You need to adhere to fire safety rules to save your property, your life and the lives of people around you.

“Fire officials as first responders to emergencies and incident management have been empowered and equipped by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration to tackle any form of natural and man-made incident across the state,” he said.

He appealed to residents to utilise the emergency toll-free lines to report any case of fire incident to avert loss of lives and properties.

(NAN)