Kano recounts 2020 loss to fire, says 135 dead, N635million properties destroyed in the year

The Kano State Fire Service has recounted its loss to fire incidents in 2020, saying a total of 134 lives were lost and property worth N635million were destroyed in the state from January1 to December 31, 2020.

The disclosure was made by Alhaji Saidu Muhammad, the Public Relations Officer of the service while speaking in Kano on Tuesday.

Muhammad said that the service also saved 1,077 lives and property worth N2. 56 billion in 786 fire incidents during the period.

“Most of the fire outbreaks were caused by carelessness in handling cooking gas, use of inferior electrical appliances and poor wiring in homes.

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“About 134 lives and property worth N635 million were lost to fire in the period under review,” he said.

Muhammad said that the service recorded 693 rescue calls and 184 false alarms during the period. He said that the service plans to retrain its 350 staff in 2021 for effective performance.

Muhammed advised residents to always handle fire with care to prevent fire outbreaks, adding that “parents should desist from sending under aged children to fetch water from wells, rivers or ponds alone.”