The Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) has urged the general public to remain vigilant during this dry season so as to avert the danger of deadly fire outbreaks.
According to Christine Niyotwambaza Hitimana, the officer in charge of surveillance and preparedness at the ministry, fire outbreaks can be caused by a range of factors, including faulty electrical installations, human error, and natural disasters.
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She emphasised the importance of recognising the role of human error in sparking fires, pointing to examples such as careless smoking, leaving stoves unattended, and improper disposal of flammable materials.
"Negligence in following fire safety protocols could all contribute to the ignition and spread of fires,” she stated.
Careless smoking and disposal of cigarettes, burning of crop residues, grasslands, or bush are other factors, she said, that cause fire incidents.
"The population must be vigilant and minimise those errors that contribute to and ignite the fire outbreaks, specifically during this dry season,” Niyotwambaza warned.
The ministry also has concerns about lack of sufficient fire extinguishers in secondary cities, she noted, further highlighting the need for fire safety measures.
Recent fire incidents, including a case in Bugoyi Cell, Gisenyi Sector, Rubavu town, resulted in significant property damage. It followed other fire outbreaks in Rwamagana, Musanze and Burera districts.
According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police Spokesperson for Western Region, "the fire outbreak was suspected to have originated from a gas cylinder, as one of the families in the building had a gas cylinder placed next to a charcoal stove that was in use."
The fire in Bugoyi Cell affected several houses, and destroyed household items.
Twizere said people "should keep cooking gas cylinders in well-ventilated areas away from heat sources and away from charcoal stoves.”
Residents in affected areas in Musanze and Rubavu towns acknowledged that they need to be educated on fire safety measures.
"You find a person using cooking gas but, surprisingly, this person does not know much about its danger to their life and how to put out the fire in case of an incident,” said Anna Uwamariya, a resident of Rubavu.