Tuesday this week was characterized by yet another round of sporadic fire outbreaks that were reported in at least three fire outbreaks just within Kigali. Fortunately, no life was lost in all these incidents but the damage was estimated at Rwf235 million, the biggest loss being registered at a timber storage facility in Zindiro, in Gasabo district where stock valued at Rwf200m was lost. The other fire outbreak was reported in Gastata at a car garage near a commercial complex called Icyerekezo, which houses a string of shops dealing in used spare parts for different types of vehicles. At least three vehicles were burnt in the incident. ALSO READ: Fire protection: We need a paradigm shift Another fire was in Gikondo at the Expo Grounds, but officers from police fire-fighting department intervened promptly and arrived in time to put out the fire before it could spread to cause a major damage. While there has been growing efficiency by the police to respond to fire outbreaks following the acquisition of more equipment in this regard, a lot of effort is needed to ensure prevention of such outbreaks. ALSO READ Expert calls for independent fire safety regulatory authority Year on year, we see fire outbreaks at different commercial establishments especially during the summer season but not much is being done to prevent such outbreaks yet they are preventable. For instance, while the government has issued a directive to have all public facilities equipped with functional fire-fighting facilities, enforcement has remained problematic. ALSO READ: Insurance comes to the rescue of garage owner after fire disaster Many of these facilities have installed the equipment, but their functionality remains questionable while only few of them conduct regular drills to prepare for fire outbreaks which eases response. Many of the fire incidents in the country have been attributed to poor electrical installations, while calls for stringent measures to ensure both the electrical materials used and ensuring that those who do the installation meet the requisite requirements. Bodies like Institution of Engineers Rwanda and other professional bodies should be fully empowered to enforce the directive to have developers use qualified people to minimize such incidents. Finally, it is perhaps time to heed the call by experts to create a fully-fledged independent fire department that will not only focus on response, but also enforce preventive measures to minimize these fire outbreaks.
