The Kwara Fire Service on Wednesday began sensitisation of traders in major markets across the 16 local government areas of the state to mitigate incessant fire outbreaks.
The Director of the state fire service, Mr John Olumuyiwa, who led personnel of the service on the sensitisation programme, carried out demonstrations on ways to prevent fire outbreak.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the markets visted included the lpata market in Ilorin East Local Government Area where fire fighters demonstrated various ways of preventing fire disasters.
NAN reports that the exercise attracted large number of traders and buyers, who abandoned their wares to watch the practical demonstration of fire prevention.
Olumuyiwa, who addressed the traders, noted that fire outbreaks have had serious adverse economic effects on the state government and traders.
He said that the state was yet to record any fire outbreak in any of its major markets in the first quarter of 2021.
He however noted that the sensitisation was aimed at giving fire safety tips to traders to mitigate against future fire outbreaks.
Head of media and publicity unit of the state fire service, Mr Hakeem Adekunle, advised traders to always switch off all electrical gadgets in their stores at the close of business.
The Deputy Chairman of the lpata market Association, Alhaji lbrahim Abiodun, told NAN that they were appreciative of the sensitisation, saying that traders will ensure they complied with the safety tips.
At Baboko market in the llorin West Local Government Area, its public relations officer, Mr Ajayi Emmanuel, received the fire service management on behalf of the the association.
Emmanuel informed the team that the association had installed a central power control at the market to mitigate against fire outbreak, especially from electrical faults. (NAN)
