Rwanda National Police

Majority of fire incidents are caused by human errors, especially in homes, restaurants, workshops and bush fires, Police have said.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jean Baptiste Seminega, the Commanding Officer (CO) for Fire and Rescue Brigade at Rwanda National Police (RNP), most of the errors are related to use of substandard electric cables, welding machines and overloading the electric wiring system causing short circuit, and poor electric installation in houses resulting from using lay electricians.

Other causes include candles that are left lit and unattended in houses, lack of knowledge on how to safely use cooking gas and forgetting to turn it off after use.

The CO singled out the Monday incident at Amashyirahamwe commercial building in Nyabugogo, Nyarugenge District where fire that broke-out past midnight, gutted restaurants, bars, hair salon and a photo studio, resulted from a cooking gas that was left lit.

Another incident occurred on Wednesday in Gihundwe Sector, Rusizi District where a candle left lit in the bedroom torched a mattress, although Police and local residents intervened and saved the family unhurt.

Littered lit objects especially smoking materials, burning waste in gardens, honey harvesting and charcoal burning are other identified causes of fire outbreaks.

Statistics indicate that 56 fires incidents were recorded countrywide between January and July this year, claiming seven lives and injuring two other people. Majority of the incidents occurred in the City of Kigali. At least 72 cases of fire outbreak were recorded in the same period, last year.

ACP Seminega reminded the general public that the current dry spell characterized by high temperatures and windy conditions can instigate and accelerate bush-fire especially when burning wastes in the garden, littered smoking materials, honey harvesting and charcoal burning.

“Since most fires are human-caused, it is better to take precautionary measures especially by using quality electric cables and gadgets, using qualified electricians, understanding how to use cooking gas and making sure it is turned off when it is not in use,” ACP Seminega advised.

“A gas cylinder is supposed to be in an area where it accesses enough air, it should be turned off before switching off the cooker; it is advisable that you first open doors and windows of the kitchen and wait for few minutes before you switch on the gas cylinder.”

Experts say that when gas leaks, it concentrates in all angles of the room or kitchen, which is why if you light the gas cooker or a matchbox fire will break out from all corners.

ACP Seminega also urged owners of residential and commercial facilities to mind about the quality of electric cable connections, acquire firefighting gadgets and like fire extinguishers, fire and gas detectors.
 
He called upon the public to always call the RNP Fire and Rescue services on toll-free line 111, 112 and 0788311120, in case of a fire outbreak, for a quick response.