Governor sounds fire safety concern

 By GYNNIE KERO and FRANCIS ULIAU

A FIRE which gutted three shops in Kimbe, West New Britain, has been described as “a second wake up call for the province” by Governor Sasindran Muthuvel.

He said the fire started at around 3am and destroyed two shops belonging to Wholesale Welcome Mart and a kai bar opposite the courthouse in Kimbe.

Muthuvel called on Government authorities to review the safety standard of buildings and to properly equip the fire service operations in the country.

Muthuvel, who was at the scene at around 6am yesterday, said: “We are struggling to contain fire (incidents). Our fire trucks are too small to handle the fire and ran out of water.”

He said the Department of Works, Dekenai and New Britain Palm Oil Ltd assisted by providing their water trucks.

“It’s important to have operational fire trucks, equipped with appropriate capacity to respond to such situations.”

Muthuvel said Water PNG must have the capacity to put out fires.

“Authorities which control the building board should form a team comprising staff from DOW, PNG Power Ltd, Water PNG Ltd, West New Britain provincial administration, health inspectors and town authority to review the standard (fire safety and other safety measures) for all buildings in town as a matter of urgency,” he said.

He estimated the damage to be in excess of K10 million.

Provincial police commander Superintendent Samson Siguyaru said police officers quickly cordoned the area to prevent looting of the shops.

Siguyaru said the fire could have been better managed had the fire service not run out of water.”

Semi Pilak, the acting business centre manager of Water PNG in Kimbe, said there was enough pressure when water was directed to the fire site.

Water PNG chief operating officer Billy Imar said regardless of the water available, firefighters must have proper firefighting equipment.