City loses property worth over $1m to fires

 

According to the latest fire and ambulances services monthly report, January accounted for $71 500 in property losses as a result of fire, while February saw goods valued at $876 700 being lost and in March $229 100 of property was destroyed.

The property that was at risk for the first quarter of the year was pegged at $3 033 193.

“We would like to urge parents to be in control of the situation at homes when there is no electricity to limit the instances of fire outbreaks,” said Bulawayo City Council chief fire officer Mr Richard Peterson.

He said members of the public should also desist from discarding lit material.

“We discourage the making of fire at undesignated areas, which is more prevalent in people living and working on the streets.

This usually causes grass fires that place property at risk,” said Mr  Peterson.

He said the grass fires consume a lot of resources that could be channelled to more pressing services.

“At homes, if ever people are to use coal to heat themselves during winter they should make sure there is enough ventilation in the room because it produces carbon monoxide, which is deadly if inhaled.

“We have recorded a lot of deaths from such situations and we urge people to be cautious of the fact that there are other types of firewood that emit carbon monoxide so they should be careful,” said Mr Peterson.

He said candles had proved to be the main cause of most of the fires and as such he urged members of the public to exercise extreme caution when handling them.

“Let us have less people dying this year because of negligence,” said Mr Peterson.

He said there was a decrease of cases of fire incidents in previous weeks.

“I would like to commend the public because they have learnt to assist each other to avoid loss of property in the event of an inferno.

“Previously we had people losing virtually all their belongings while neighbours were sleeping. This is not to encourage them to stop fires where there is a possible risk to their lives,” said Mr Peterson.

He said in the last 10 cases they had attended to, there were assists therefore resulting in limited loss of property.