Two people have died while 147 people were saved in various fire incidents that occurred across Bauchi State in one year, statistics report from the Fire Service Directorate has indicated.
The statistics obtained by the DAILY POST on Wednesday, indicates that the report covers the period between June, 2018 and June, 2019.
According to the report, one person was killed in October 2018 while one person was killed in April 2019.
The report also indicated that properties estimated N948,025,000 were destroyed within the period.
The report showed that the highest estimated property loss was recorded in March with a value of N262 million while the least estimated loss was recorded in August 2019 with a value of N8.6 million.
Properties estimated at N1, 944, 050, 000 were, within the period, also saved from the 423 calls received by the Bauchi State fire service from residents in the state.
The fire incidents according to the report, affected dwelling houses, workshops, shops, hotels, petrol filing stations, vehicles, markets among others.
The Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Fire Service, Abubabakar Bala, in an interview with DAILY POST, said that the cause of the fire cases, were mainly electrical faults, overloading of electrical appliances and uncontrolled bush burning.
He said that others are wrong electrical wirings, negligence of handling electrical appliances, misuse of gas cooker, among others.
He advised residents to “always employ the services of qualified professionals to carryout their electrical connections. They should keep matches away from children to avoid them from playing with them which could lead to fire.
“I advise them to always quality electrical wires for all their wirings, they should stop buying these substandard wires which can easily cause fire.”
Bala, who said that the service has inadequate fire fighting equipment, added that the ones available cannot cater for the fast growing population in the state.
He therefore appealed to the government to build more sub-stations especially within Bauchi metropolis.
He said that building additional sub-stations will help complement the four fire stations in the state including the headquarters.
