NADMO orders checks on electrical wiring

Sat. February 20, 2010


THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has asked for immediate checks on electrical cords in all public buildings with a view to replacing faulty ones.
It also asked private property owners to do same and cautioned that electricity users should avoid plugging more than one extension cord into an outlet since such practice could easily create fire.
Major Nicholas Mensah (retd), the Public Relations Officer of the organisation, made the suggestions in a set of tit-bits released to help prevent further outbreaks of fire in the country.
In a leaflet titled “Fire Safety at Workplace”, NADMO advised workers to ensure that appliances and switches were put off after working hours or when power supply was cut.
It also talked about the need for workers to know the location of fire exits so as to access them in case of fire and also the need for each worker to know the fire plan of the workplace.
Emergency numbers provided by NADMO are Ghana Police Service:191, Ghana National Fire Service: 192, National Ambulance Service: 193, NADMO: 021-77926/021-780541.
In recent times the country has witnessed series of fire outbreaks, some devastating. The most recent incident was an intense fire on February 14, 2010, described by rescuers as “rapid and fast”, which razed to ashes the Ridge residence of former President J.J. Rawlings, with nothing to salvage from the debris.
While no life was lost, the disaster left behind the depressing spectacle of the ruins of a house which firemen had tried in vain for three hours to salvage.
Before then, on January 18, a huge inferno engulfed the Loading Gantry of the Tema Oil Refinery, claiming the lives of two workers of the plant and injuring others.
Also destroyed in the blaze were company equipment and nine fuel tankers.
Other state property which had also had their share of fire outbreaks were the Ministry of Information, which had witnessed two of such cases, first at a deputy minister’s office and again on Wednesday afternoon, the ministry’s storeroom, where some items, including materials to be used in making Ghana flags for the 53th Independence Day celebration, were burnt.
Other areas were part of the Electoral Commission (EC), the Accra Metro Education office at Kinbu, portions of the Forestry Commission (FC) situated within the Achimota Forest and the the 10-storey building which used house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that was completely destroyed.