Mr Okwudiri Ohaa, Chief Fire Officer of Enugu State Fire Service, has urged Nigerians to ensure they put off generating sets before refueling them to avoid preventable fire disasters.
Ohaa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday that refueling a generating set while the set was still on remained a very negative and costly mistake some Nigerians made.
He noted that such negative habit and rush had led to sudden and monumental infernos accompanied by unquantifiable destruction.
“Why the rush and impatience, to put out generating sets for between 10 minutes and 15 minutes can save instant disasters.
“This type of disaster can even escalate not only to the household or office using the generating sets, but to an entire neighbourhood.
“The same thing goes for a kerosene lamp; do not neglect the small kerosene lamp.
“Refueling it with kerosene while the lamp is still burning can lead to serious inferno that can first engulf a room and extend to other places, if care is not taken,’’ he advised.
The fire service boss, however, urged Nigerians not to store fuel or equipment that contained inflammable materials inside their homes, but keep them in separate stores.
“Most especially this harmattan, everyone should be careful the way and manner fuel, kerosene and other inflammables are handled and kept to ensure safety,’’ he said.
According to him, the fire service emergency numbers in Enugu State remain 07065409291 and 08169618538 for Enugu metropolis; 08036364051 for 9th Mile Corner Fire Station and 08068079367 for Nsukka Fire Station.
Ohaa urged residents of the state to use 117 toll-free state emergency phone line during fire disasters.
Meanwhile, an eight-year-old boy, recently, died from suspected kerosene-ignited fire in Umundu Community within Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said the incident occurred on the night of Sunday, Dec. 23.
“It was gathered that the incident occurred when the victim, little Chikamso Nnamani, had tried to refill a lamp with kerosene.
‘‘But unfortunately the light went wild and quickly engulfed the whole house.
“It was further gathered that as occupants were scampering to safety, the said Chikamso ran towards another direction where he was allegedly consumed by the fire,’’ Amaraizu said. (NAN)