Hot Dimapur: Already 15 fire outbreaks this year
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Firefighters from Dimapur's fire and emergency services are seen helping a man extinguish a fire in downtown Dimapur during a drill organised by the city’s fire division on Saturday. 'Fire Service Week' is being observed across the country to propagate fire safety awareness. The Fire Service Week is observed every year between April 14 and the 20th. [/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 14: In only four months has Dimapur seen 15 incidents of fire and ones that have seen many a family left homeless. The busiest schedule of the city’s Fire and Emergency Services is already on with the onset of dry season.
The fire accidents that occurred in and around Dimapur have destroyed properties worth by the lakh. The most common cause being attributed for the fires is electrical short circuit, and a few of them to ‘carelessness.’
Interestingly, for some strange reason, fire accidents that happen mostly during the dry season in Dimapur have been attributed to ‘short circuit.’
Since 1999 Fire Safety Week has been observed, from April 14 to the 20th. The event hopes to propagate fire safety awareness among citizens.
In Dimapur, The safety week started off with a drill at the Clock Tower, and at the Super Market during which the department’s fire fighters demonstrated emergency manoeuvres to members of the public. The fire fighters demonstrated the dos and don’ts. They advised shop owners and the public to keep fire extinguishers in their establishments.
As part of the fire service week, the department plans to visit schools and municipal localities to educate people on safety. Members of the public participated in the drill too, trying their hand at some of the manoeuvres.
The Dimapur division is equipped with only five fire engines, at the Dimapur station, and three at Chumukedima.
2014 recorded some of the highest numbers of fire accidents in the city’s recent history. As many as 92 incidents were recorded while 2015, 2016, and 2017 recorded 40-46 incidents.
The officer in charge of the Dimapur Fire station, A Wati Jamir told Eastern Mirror that fire trucks from Chumukedima also come down during major fire incidents. Likewise, the Rangapahar defence camp also provides their fire engines during emergencies.
Speaking about some upgrades to the division’s fire-fighting capability, the officer said that the division has a new floating pump which is of great help during emergencies. A deep bore well was dug in the station’s premises too, besides getting a new diesel generator, which would now leave no reason for the department to run short of water.
This year’s fire services week is being observed with slogan ‘fire loss is national loss. Let us adopt safety measure.’
