Every city building should have fire equipment: Official

ALL buildings in the city should have fire equipment to help fight fire, an official says.
Lae Fire Service commander Supt Dennis Hase said many buildings were without suppression equipment such as fire extinguishers and reeled hose to help fight fires at their initial stage until fire engines arrive.
“Every fire starts at an initial stage and so suppression equipment will be helpful during the start of a fire,” he said.
Speaking in regards to a fire in Lae which razed a building consisting of a row of shops on Sunday, Hase said owners were not able to control the fire during the start because there was no equipment.
Investigations are underway and the cause of the fire is still not known. There were no casualties.
“By the end of the week, we should have a report on the fire,” Hase said.
He said they had fielded more than 20 calls regarding fires in Lae this year and sometimes negligence caused them.
Hase said safety was a shared responsibility and owners should avoid activities that may lead to fire.
Meanwhile, Hase said pressure was low in their fire hydrants around the city.
“The water truck cannot hold out fires for a long time and we need hydrants to support us,” he said. “Some hydrants have been covered by road contractors and are not visible anymore.”
Hase also visited business houses, especially Asian-owned shops that had thick steel frames and locks at their gates and doors to replace them with reasonable security so they were accessible for firefighters in the event of fire.
“Like the fire on Sunday, the access is difficult with too much steel blocking the door,” he said.