Fire incidents: Tk 430cr loss in one yr: DG FSCD 244 more fire stations to be set at upazila level by 2019

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Staff Reporter :
The country has witnessed as many as 18,048 fire incidents in last one year causing an estimated loss of Taka 430 crore, said fire service officials.
“In the last one year from July 2016 to June this year, some 18,048 fire incidents took place in the country which caused losses of Tk 429 crore 93 lakh 78 thousand,” Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) told the media on Saturday.
The FSDC chief listed electrical short-circuit, burners’ fire, pieces of thrown out ignited cigarettes and burning ashes as major causes of fire incidents.
The number of houses, multistoried buildings, shopping malls, garments and industries are increasing rapidly because of urbanisation; as a result disaster incidents are also rising, he said.
“As a prior measure, we will impart training to the volunteers to fight disasters,” Ali Ahmed said.
He added, “Some 244 new fire stations will be set up at upazila level across the country by 2019 under two separate projects to stop fire accidents and minimize the causalities. “Currently, the process of land acquisition is going on for the project, to be completed by 2019, with funding from the government.”
A total of 330 fire stations have been in operative in the country, he said.
He said, we have submitted a project proposal to Disaster Management and Relief Ministry for taking a special initiative to make 62 thousand urban volunteers at community level to cope with different accidents, including fire and earthquake.
The FSCD Chief claimed that the said 62 thousand volunteers will be fully ready to cooperate with fire fighters in rescue operations to minimize the losses and causalities.
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