By Godgift Harris
Director General of the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), G. Warsuwah Barvoul, has confirmed the deaths of 21 Liberians to fire outbreaks in this year alone.
Though Barvoul did not release the full detail of fire-related incidents in this year, issued a grave warning over a “dangerous and worsening national fire-safety crisis.”
He attributed most of the fire-related incidents to substandard electrical installations, reckless waste-burning and the illegal sale of petroleum products.
Barvoul made the disclosure on Tuesday, November 18, 2035, at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing in Monrovia.
He disclosed how 21 Liberians have already died from fire outbreaks this year, though he withheld complete statistics pending internal verification.
Barvoul meanwhile, condemned the widespread installation of “inferior and uncertified electrical wiring” in homes, businesses and public buildings practices, he said continue to spark deadly fires.
“Many buildings are using wiring that cannot carry the required electrical load; it is putting lives at risk every single day.”
Barvoul also criticized the increasingly common and hazardous practice of burning dirt in the open. He called it a “major public health threat.”
He said some of the wastes being burned contained toxic and explosive materials, including spray cans, and other chemical items that released harmful fumes when ignited.
“People are burning all kinds of wastes spray cans, mixed debris, even biological materials. These fumes are poisoning our communities.”
Barvoul further condemned the illegal street-corner sale of gasoline and fuel; an act he described “a disaster waiting to happen.”
He disclosed that the LNFS is working with other state agencies to crack down on roadside fuel vendors, whose activities pose severe risks to densely populated neighborhoods.
Despite the escalating dangers, Barvoul assured the public that the Fire Service is intensifying safety inspections, community outreach, and enforcement efforts to curb fire outbreaks nationwide.
He cautioned residents against blaming the Fire Service for fire-related incidents, noting: “Prevention begins with individual responsibility.”