Mr Ernest Ogwezzy, the Delta Commissioner for Bureau for Special Duties, said the state lost property worth N11 billion to fire outbreaks between January and October this year.
Ogwezzy disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Asaba.
The commissioner said that the property lost included factories, shops, markets and houses.
He said that the state fire command was able to save property worth N65.4 billion during the period.
The commissioner also disclosed that the command received a total of 175 fire calls, adding that out of the 175 distress calls, 12 were false calls.
Ogwezzy said that in the course of responding to the calls, the command was able to rescue six persons alive and three other persons dead.
He said that the highest calls received by the command came from Asaba with 69 fire calls, adding that it was closely followed by Warri which recorded 38 fire calls.
“Ughelli was next with a total of 17 calls and Sapele with 16 calls.
“Some of the specific fire incidents recorded during the period include Beta Glass factory, Ughelli, which occurred on July 8, followed by another fire incident which occurred at Upper Agbarho, off Isoko Road, Ughelli on April 6,’’ Ogwezzy said.
The commissioner however noted that the cases of fire incidents reduced slightly compared to what it used to be in the previous years.
Ogwezzy said that the directorate had been enlightening the people of the state through the media on how to avoid fire outbreak.
He said that the directorate had also designated some telephone numbers with which it could be contacted in case of fire outbreaks. (NAN)