Take care not to start fires – Municipality

PHUKET: Phuket City Municipality has issued fire prevention advice and has ordered its Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (ODPM) to be on standby to deal with fires as the dry season drags on.

The municipal authorities are advising residents to be especially careful when handling fire, such as when they are lighting offerings at shrines, or when cooking.

Residents should also check that electrical equipment and installations are in order, to reduce the chances of an electrical fault causing a fire; to keep matches away from children; and to make sure that cigarette butts are fully extinguished when they throw them away.

At the same time, the Municipality has instructed the ODPM to keep equipment and staff available 24 hours a day to deal with any fire.

Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwannasuppana said the Municipality had issued the warnings because the current dry conditions have increased the risk of fire. She said, “A fire would could cause great social and financial loss.”.

Anyone who sees a fire should call the ODPM at Tel: 199, 076-211111 or 076-212457.