Dry season fire outbreak

One thing that is common with the dry season, that is from November to March is rampant fire incident. Hardly will a week pass by during this period without reported fire incident of varying degrees and many times with colossal losses.

Just last week Tuesday, a former Nigeria Ambassador to  Zambia/Malawi, and one-time Commissioner for Women Affairs in Ogun State, Barr. Folake-Marcus-Bello lost her 10-hectares oil palm plantation running into millions of naira to mysterious fire.

The farm according to report is located around Onipepeye, along Abeokuta-Siun-Sagamu expressway, in Obafemi-Owode local government.

The fire which raged on for over four hours before it was put out reportedly consumed over 500 oil palm trees and other farm products.

While some said that the fire might have been caused by some hunters who usually set bushes on fire during dry season to kill animals called bush meats, another source said it may be deliberate handwork of some unscrupulous elements who just want to destroy the investment of the former Ambassador.

Marcus-Bello was said to have lamented the huge loss caused by the fire adding that she was looking ahead for harvest from the farm which runs into millions of naira when the disaster struck.

The Manager of the farm, Mrs Busayo Adebayo was said to have explained that the prevailing harmattan contributed in no small measure to aiding the fast spread of the fire which caused serious damage to the farm.

While the dust is yet to settle on this unfortunate incident, on Saturday, there was another report of a midnight fire incident which destroyed goods worth millions of naira in at least 25 shops at the popular Araromi Spare Parts Market in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 2am on Saturday as a result of the indiscriminate burning of refuse.

Same Saturday, there was also a report of the inferno which gutted headquarters of Kano State Police Command, Bompai in Nasarrawa Local Government area of the state.

The fire was said to have razed many offices of the storey building as well as many files and furniture

Same-day, according to newspaper report, an Access Bank building around Alagolo Police station, Oluwaga, Ipaja was also said to have been razed by fire leading to loss of prized property among others

It is considered that the increased intensity of heat from sun coupled with harmattan during dry season usually make the environment to be susceptible to fire outbreak. This is why more often than not, extra-vigillance remain the key antidote to preventing fire outbreak at all times.

For instance, the fire incident at the farm of former Nigeria Ambassador to Zambia/Malawi, Barr Folake Marcus-Bello was allegedly linked to some hunters who are ín the habit of burning bush during dry season to kill animals.

They would have originally set out to kill animals but will in the process cause untold hardship and losses to owners of farms and sometimes other properties like houses and cars around the area. After all, we have heard cases of people whose cars had fault while traveling and then decided to park beside the road to get technician that would help fix the car but on returning to the same spot hours later, the car had been burnt by those who indiscriminately set bushes on fire to kill animals usually called bush meats.

The fire incident at the spare parts shops in Ibadan on Saturday was also said to have been caused by refuse burning that was handled carelessly and made to ruin means of livelihood of over 25 people.

This is why government must increase its public enlightenment programmes on how to deal with incessant fire outbreak especially during dry season.

A lot of Nigerians are not safety conscious and would rather keep indulging in those things that could place them or others at the risk of fire outbreak.

Aside public enlightenment on various media platforms, government must also equip the fire services department with all that are needed to combat fire incident and this includes adequate staffing, fire fighting vehicles among every other thing that could make them more effective and live up to the billings.

A situation where the fire fighters would be complaining of lack of water, chemicals or vehicle whenever an emergency arises doesn’t really portend the government to be serious in protecting her citizens.

The government will also do well to come around and offer meaningful assistance to victims of fire disaster. The mockery of giving a bed to someone who lost a whole house or N25,000 cheque to someone who lost goods that worth cover N10m to fire disaster must stopped.