Berea, July 07 — A Fire and Rescue Police officer, Mr. Sentle Moupo, has urged the public to take extra precautions during the winter season, saying negligence, carelessness, and lack of knowledge are among the leading causes of fire outbreaks.
Speaking in an interview with the Agency, Mr. Moupo, who is stationed in the northern region of the country, said fire occurs when two or more materials combine.
He said the main causes of fires include alcohol abuse, negligence, laziness, lack of knowledge and carelessness, adding that these factors often contribute to fire incidents during winter, when many households use heating devices and open fires to stay warm.
Mr. Moupo said he could not confirm whether the number of reported fire incidents has increased or decreased because some cases are never reported to the Fire and Rescue Police.
He said one of the major challenges is the shortage of firefighting equipment, both in households and within the Fire and Rescue Police department.
He further explained that many homes do not have basic firefighting materials to contain fires before it spread, while the department also faces limited resources to effectively respond to fire emergencies.
Mr. Moupo advised households to keep a bucket filled with water to extinguish fires that are not caused by electricity. However, he stressed that if a fire is caused by electricity, people should first switch off the power supply or unplug electrical appliances before attempting to deal with the fire.
He further noted that smoke is one of the most dangerous hazards during a fire. He therefore advised people to crawl while leaving a burning building to avoid inhaling smoke and, once outside, immediately raise the alarm and call for help.
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