Dubai: There has been an 18 per cent decline in the number of fires witnessed across Dubai. Two people were killed in fires in 2009.
Last year saw the lowest number of fires and casualties recorded in a period spanning three years.
The Dubai Civil Defence had stepped up efforts, especially in 2008, after the emirate reported a spate of massive fires in 2007.
Most of these fires were attributed to a failure to observe prevention and safety regulations in warehouses, factories and labour accommodation and lack of inspection.
Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, director of the Dubai Civil Defence, said the number of fires declined to 42 per cent in 2008 compared to 2007. He said this showed the consistent decline in the numbers and sizes of fires that erupted.
The Dubai Civil Defence chief added that a number of development projects, coupled with the implementation of the civil defence's strategy for 2007 to 2015 and its updating according to defined needs, had helped reduce the number of fires.
In 2009, there were 486 fires compared to 595 fires in 2008. Two people were killed and 35 others sustained various degrees of injury in 2009.
A Pakistani man was killed in a collision which resulted in his car catching fire on January 26, 2009. An Iranian sailor was killed in a ship fire on September 1, last year, in Port Rashid.
Location of fires
In 2009, most of the recorded fires broke out in vehicles. They were followed by fires that broke out in homes and warehouses.
The Dubai Civil Defence launched the "Safety First" campaign in June 2008. The campaign focused on the inspection of all areas with factories, warehouses as well as temporary and permanent labour accommodation.
The campaign was spearheaded by 18 teams that carried out strict inspection of the implementation of international safety standards in establishments situated in Deira and Bur Dubai.
Earlier, Major General Al Matroushi said: "We launched the campaign due to many reasons, including the increasing number of accidents owing to a [failure by people to] abiding by fire prevention and safety standards, the expansion of storage and construction facilities in the industrial sector and also to improve safety standards in these areas.
"It is expected that fires will decline further due to the sustainable projects which we have started implementing since 2009."
Places most prone to fires
165 cases involving vehiclesn 153 cases recorded in homesn 29 cases involving warehousesn 20 fires in restaurants and cafesn 19 fires that broke out in shops
Facts and figures
486 fires were reported in Dubai in 2009n An 18 per cent decline compared to 2008, which reported 595 firesn 16 big fires recorded in 2009
