From January to June this year, the Fire and Rescue Department received 2 thousand 850 emergency calls nationwide. Based on the department’s statistics, out of the total figure, 2,276 calls involved a number of incidents including emergency calls on locked room and car, landslides, road accidents and rescues.
Meanwhile 229 calls involved forest and bush fires; 194 calls for road accident clean up assistance, standby, parade rehearsals and others; and 151 calls for house, building, vehicle and electrical fires.
From January to June this year, 86 calls for structural fires were received for the 4 districts, with Brunei Muara District recording the most number of calls which was 59, followed by Belait District with 15 calls, 10 calls in Tutong District and Temburong District with 2 calls.
The Fire and Rescue Department also recorded 30 calls on major building and house fires. From the figure, 10 calls involved building fires with estimated losses totalling 2 million 129 thousand and 300 dollars, and 20 others involved house fires with an estimated loss at 665 thousand and 150 dollars. Meanwhile, the department received 56 calls on minor fires, 13 on building fires and the rest were house fires.
According to the department’s statistics, the main causes of structural fires are electrical, whereby 28 calls were made on damaged main switchboard, incoming cable, overloading and fuse cut-out; 16 calls on negligence; and 11 calls for damaged components on air conditioning relay connections, washing machines, fridge, LED lights as well as fluorescent lamp ballast.
Meanwhile on causes of structural fires based on category, 55 fires fell under the electrical category; 6 under incendiary incidents; 18 under human error or negligence; and 7 under LPG or Liquefied Petroleum Gas category.
As part of the efforts to approach the community, the Fire and Rescue Department has taken the initiative to organise Public Awareness Programmes. From 2018 to 2021, 118 thousand 795 people took part in these programmes. This year, 11 thousand 785 people joined the programme from January to June this year, while 35 people have received the Community Excellence appreciation certificate.
The Fire and Rescue Department advises each premise or house to be equipped with dry powder fire extinguishers, fire blankets and smoke alarm; not to leave cooking unattended; open windows and doors for ventilation when there is a leak on LPG component; avoid overloading and wiring must be done by certified electricians according to the Department of Electrical Services’ standard.
Source: Radio Television Brunei