Engr. Zacchaeus Adebayo is the Comptroller and Director of FCT Fire Service. In this interview with PAUL OKAH, he speaks on fire outbreaks in the FCT, advising residents on what to do when they occur.
What are the causes of fire outbreaks?
In 2024, from January to November, we had 370 cases of fire outbreaks and seven rescue calls. We had 49 cases alone in November because it is the dry season. We have two causes of fire outbreaks: natural and man-made (carelessness). With regards to natural causes, as I said earlier, we’re in the harmattan season/period, where the rate of wind blow is higher. Wind can pick a fire where someone is burning a bush and bring it to the marketplace. If that fire falls on a combustible object, it ignites. So, dry season makes the bush, dry papers, clothes and plastics ready as combustible materials. Also, there is solar reflection. When the sun comes out very tense, if you place any object on the window like big eyeglasses, the heat of the sun can be on your bed and material and heat can be created. That is what we call focal points. You will say there is no power supply, but heat on the combustible material can cause fire outbreaks.
What about carelessness?
Man-made or carelessness is the major cause of fire outbreaks in FCT, especially in the markets. Let’s start right from the planning of the markets. The markets in FCT are not well planned. No access road to the nooks and corners of the market where fire agencies can access the market at any point of emergency. Then also the wiring system in the market is a problem as some are not done well. This is common in all the markets in the FCT. The use of generators in the market contributes a lot to the high rate of fire outbreaks in the FCT.
Also, many people sleep in the shop or market in the FCT. In makeshift shops, you find out they sleep in the shops at the end of the market. Since they are sleeping in the market and are allowed to sleep in the market, definitely, they’ll cook, iron and so on in the market. So, all the aforementioned domestic activities contribute to the high rate of fire outbreaks in FCT.
Again, many people do not have fire extinguishers that can stop a fire outbreak at the primary stage and they’re helpless whenever there is a spark. In the Nigerian condition, AEDC power comes and goes and when this happens, it comes with a high voltage, especially whenever the wiring system is not properly done. We have junctions. These are the points where spark can occur. If the point of the spark is in contact with any inflammable materials, it ignites; like the PVC, ceiling, among others. Some people use ordinary cartons to do their ceilings. When they spark in the ceiling, a fire outbreak will be recorded. Then there is no fire-fighting equipment in their houses.
Also, many filling stations discharge petrol during the heat period of the day, risking fire outbreaks. During transportation from the depot down to the filling station, when the tanker falls, it ignites. People don’t often comply with safety standards, thereby causing fire outbreaks. People are too careless, often running to meet up with different things. That’s the challenge we are having as people don’t comply with safety precautions. Another cause of fire outbreaks can be traced to carelessness and activities in our residential houses; including keeping gas cylinders inside the house. We have had a fire outbreak in Gwarinpa by Charlyboy, Cityview Restaurant and so on. Near Charlyboy, they kept a gas cylinder inside the house. We have been crying. Don’t put your gas cylinder inside the kitchen. When it happens, fire is often too difficult to control. In the case near Charlyboy, there was an explosion and before you knew it, it spread to upper parts of the building. So, it is dangerous to keep gas cylinders in the house.
The attitude of the occupants, leaving electrical appliances on like air conditioners, fans and so on when they are not in use also cause fire outbreaks. So, go out when there is no power supply, leaving their appliances on. When the power supply is restored, the AC and fan will work until heat is developed and it degenerates into a fire outbreak. Again, it is common to see the overloading of the socket and even keeping petrol inside houses.
Some also engage in the act of refilling their generators, stoves and other machines while working, thereby causing fire outbreaks. When fire outbreaks happen, they don’t even have fire extinguishers to fight it. Also, you don’t refill a generator when it is running or working. You don’t keep diesel near your working generator. Fuel, heat and oxygen, whenever these three elements come together at once, there is a chemical reaction leading to a fire outbreak. With the yuletide, activities are high as people run to the market to meet up and they do things to make fuel, heat and oxygen to react.
What about response to fire outbreaks?
When we talk about response to fire outbreaks by the FCT Fire Service, there are different factors. The time of call to the fire service is one of the factors. The question is: Do you have contact with the fire service? It will interest you to know that many people don’t even know the numbers to call when there is a fire outbreak. Also, there is the issue of bad roads. As FCT Fire Service, we are trying to beat the factor of time.
Nevertheless, in order to curb frequent fire outbreaks in the FCT, on the 5th of December, 2024, at Wuse market, we launched the FCT Fire Emergency Monitoring Gateway. We have connected Wuse, Wuye and will go to other markets. It can be connected in banks, filling stations, plazas and other structures. We want to connect all the structures, both the residential, public and market places, to our control room with a router. If there is smoke or fire, whether we are called or not, we will be able to see it on our system. We would have programmed it to give the address, contact of the owner. Whether the owner calls us or not, we will carry out our responsibility. We will go there and do the needful.
Fire Emergency Monitoring Gateway is a timely solution to quick response issues as the time of our response will be shortened. The technology will alert us whenever there is a fire outbreak and we’d be able to save more lives and property within the FCT. So, if you have your smoke detectors already in your house, come and we will connect you. We are presently connecting free with the router. Our contact: 02092906118. FCT residents are advised to call the toll free number anytime they have a fire outbreak and the nearest fire service station will be mobilised to respond and save the situation. We also launched a toll free number on December 5, which is: 08000032837. We can receive, at least, 12 calls at a time in our control room and you can call whether there is airtime or not as it is totally free.
Do you have all the equipment to fight fire?
The Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is trying his best for us. We believe he will provide more equipment for us. We believe he will build more fire stations and buy more fire fighting appliances for us. We believe he will recruit more fire fighting personnel into the FCT Fire Service. Very soon, he will send us abroad for training. Presently, we have 15 active fire stations in FCT. They are not adequate. We are supposed to have a fire service outpost in every district.
Look at how big Mpape is, there is no single fire service outpost there, likewise Maitama; it’s the same thing in Orozo. It is important for estate developers to factor in a fire service outpost. When a building is from four-storeys upwards, we call it high rising. Fighting fire in a high rising building is always a tedious task. Every high rising building must be able to fight fire on its own when you equip it with necessary fire defence equipment like sprinkler, landing valve, fire alarm system, among others.
When you are building, make sure you call fire service to come and contribute ideas. We use hydraulic platforms to fight fire in high rising buildings. Regrettably, the one we have is faulty, but we believe that before 2025 runs out, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, a lover of fire service, we provide us with a hydraulic platform. High rising buildings are coming up in many places like World Trade Centre, Church Gate and many places, so we need hydraulic platforms to fight fire there. With regards to the use of helicopter, we are not there yet, but we appreciate the Honourable Minister of the FCT for what he is doing for us and we know he will do more.
