The Enugu State Government, on Monday urged residents and construction workers to barricade excavation sites to ensure safety of lives in the environment.
The Chief Rescue/Fire Officer of the state, Mr Okwudili Ohaa, made the call while speaking with journalists in Enugu.
Ohaa said the call became necessary because “it is not only residents and construction workers that use the environment, and as such they must put caution signs or tapes to cordon-off excavated areas.”
He further urged residents to always secure water wells, soakaway pits and other man-made holes in the environment for safety reasons.
“Water wells, soakaway pits and other man-made holes should be properly edged out, covered properly and the covering raised above the ground level about 2 feet or two cement block-size high.
“This is so that other people using the same environment and visitors can easily notice that there is a man-made hole within the environment serving a purpose,” he said.
Ohaa decried a situation where construction workers left excavated sites open without due regard to human safety.
“This type of negative practice has led many people to harm by falling into a deep ditch or well.
“Most times, if not for rescue efforts, many people would have died because of this kind of negligence,” he said.
He also warned motorists not to use roads/streets submerged by water, especially roads or streets not familiar to them.
“Why you should not use unfamiliar streets or roads submerged by water is that you might likely fall into a drainage, ditch or uncovered well.
“The best option is to take a street or road not flooded no matter the distance or you park in the upland of the area and wait for the flood to recede.
“Do not gamble with a flooded plain; it might be dangerous and deadly,” he warned.
The mandate of the Enugu State Fire Service has to do with responding to emergency, fire outbreaks and rescue of persons in especially difficult situations as well as enlightenment and sensitisation of residents to home and workplace safety.