2011 assessment: Oyo Fire Service rescues 17, recovers 14 bodies

The Oyo State Fire Service saved 17 lives and recovered 14 bodies during various fires in the state between January and December.
The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Yunus Akintunde, said this in Ibadan on Monday at the commemncement  of  the state’s Fire Safety Week.
The commissioner, whose ministry supervises the fire service, also said  319 distress calls were received during the same period.
Akintunde said the service had been adequately equipped to prevent and promptly respond to distress calls across the state.
He said government had procured modern fire fighting machines which could reach  high rise  buildings while officers and men of the service had  been trained to meet  new challenges in the industry.
The commissioner said government had stopped the inter-ministrial transfer of certain categories of fire officers,  adding that such practice was robbing the service of adequate manpower.
The commissioner said the firemen would be insured while a recruitment would be carried out in 2012.
Akintunde, however,  called on farmers to desist from engaging in illegal bush burning with the onset of the dry season.
He also appealed to petroleum marketers and owners of high rise buildings to cooperate with the fire service to tackle fire outbreaks.
Earlier in his address Mr Olakunle Kareem, the state’s  Director of  Fire Service, said  the Week was organised to sensitise residents on how to respond to  fire incidents.
The programme,  which began on Monday, would feature public enlightenment campaigns across the state. (NAN)
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