By KELECHI OGUNLEYE

The Federal Fire Service on Tuesday decried inadequacy of personnel to tackle fire.

Its Acting Controller-General, Samson Karebo, said in Abuja that the total number of firemen at the federal level, combined with the number of their counterparts in the states was inadequate to fight fire.

He spoke at a ceremony in Abuja where he received a Resource Management Fellowship award.

He said knowledge gained at the resource management training would help him to manage the limited resources available at the Federal Fire Service for effective service delivery.

Karebo stressed that in spite of the enormous contributions of the Federal Government to the service, the organisation’s needs assessment showed a huge deficit.

He expressed the service’s readiness to reduce fire outbreaks in the country, the challenges, notwithstanding.

Reacting to the April 22 explosion at an illegal refinery in Abaeza, Ohaji-Egbema in Imo, Karebo said the loss of lives could have been avoided.

Death tally at the explosion site rose to 110 on Monday as more corpses were found in nearby Orashi River.

The National Emergency Management Agency is planning a mass burial of the corpses soon as they were charred beyond recognition and have started to decompose.

Karebo cautioned Nigerians against engaging in suicidal and disastrous acts like illegal oil bunkering and refining.

He sympathised with the families of the deceased and urged parents to warn their children against involvement in the acts. (NAN)

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