The Enugu State Government is to set up a special fire safety mobile court in 2022 as part of its effort to ensure that buildings in the state conform to minimal fire safety rules required of them.
This was disclosed by the Chief Fire Safety Officer of the state, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, while speaking to journalists in Enugu on Sunday.
Ohaa spoke on the sidelines of the “Operation Zero (Fire) Outbreak’’ marshaled out by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to check the yearly losses from fire outbreaks in the state.
He said that the mobile court would prosecute owners and caretakers of buildings both public and private that fail to adhere to simple but necessary fire protection needs and provisions.
“The court will prosecute offenders, who had been previously notified and sensitised on the need to have fire extinguishers in their premises as well as premises with no iota of safety plans or emergency exits.
“We are not going to spare anyone as His Excellency, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has made huge investments in fire safety announcements in local radio and television houses for over a year on the need for residents to get fire extinguishers for their homes.
“The state fire officers have carried out enormous education and sensitization on the need for fire extinguishers in eight council areas, 66 markets in the state and 18 schools in the six educational zones of the state in 2021 alone.
“In each of the fire education or sensitisation, Gov. Ugwuanyi has given free fire extinguishers to the council areas, schools and markets so far.
“The governor has established eight fire stations in eight council areas, added some new fire fighting units in Ogbete Main Market, Enugu; Timber Market, Enugu, and more. While recently we have had about three mobile fire fighting units in densely populated areas within the metropolis.
“What the state government is asking for through the fire safety mobile courts is for individuals and corporate organisations to play their part in fire prevention in their own small way,” he said.
He noted that Operation Zero Outbreak was highly possible when residents support the government and ensure that “there will be no further loss in the state resulting from fire outbreaks”.
He said fire incidents in the state had drastically reduced compared with previous years, adding that no measure taken on fire safety or safety is sufficient as there is always room for improvement and innovation.
The chief fire officer said that for 2022, the government would ensure that all its offices would have fire extinguishers and staff would be well trained to use them early in the year.
He said “ot is a serious matter. We have limited resources and the government will not watch its assets being destroyed by fire. As a good maintenance culture, the government will protect all its offices, equipment and machinery from fire”.
