By Ben Kati
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken steps to curb recurrent fire outbreak and its implications in homes and markets in the territory.
Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss, asked the Abuja Markets Management Limited to ensure regular fire surveillance, put in place and maintain rapid response measures.
He urged Market traders association to take greater responsibility for the safety of markets.
“It is a duty of the management of Abuja Markets leadership to ensure that operators in the market through traders association are educated on fire risk and are also carried along in all programmes and activities aimed at ensuring fire safety,” Idriss said.
He also advised the FCT residents to equip their home with fire safety equipment for emergency response.
Abbas added that the emergency action was necessitated by the fire outbreak in Kubwa, Karmo and Nyanya markets.
He said experience had shown that the dry season was a fertile period for fire outbreak in homes, markets and other public places due to prevailing weather condition and nature of vegetation that makes bush burning easier.
The D-G said that some fire incidents, especially in markets, are wilful acts carried out by hoodlums to pave way for looting.
He said that fire incidents occur in various ways, some with hidden motives including intent to breach security, which we must all analyse critically to stem the tide.
