SOUTHERN PROVINCE

NYANZA — Governor Fidele Ndayisaba, has warned residents against keeping petrol in their houses to prevent fire outbreaks.

Addressing a security meeting recently, Ndayisaba advised the district leadership to stock enough fuel in district reserves and find ways of availing fuel to residents in a more safe way.

"We shall not condone the selling of fuel from homes and other areas outside pump stations because doing so would be in contravention of the Law.

The district leadership should encourage individuals and organisations like Religious establishments to invest in the fuel business,” said Ndayisaba.

Nyaruguru District Mayor, Felix Sibomana, speaking at the same meeting, observed that there were no pump stations in the district; but a proposal to ban the sale of petrol outside fuel stations would pose a serious challenge.

"The nearest we can get a petrol station is in Huye district. A trip to refill a Motorcycle tank to Huye will be counter productive because by the time one returns, the tank will be empty,” said the Mayor.

He however, revealed that plans were underway to encourage private firms to construct fuel stations in the district.

The governors’ appeal comes days after fire broke out in Kamonyi district recently, burning two houses in two separate incidents.

The fire was attributed to petrol.
In the first incident, a burning candle sparked off the fire burning a man to death while asleep. The fire reportedly became fierce due to the presence of petrol in the house, according to the mayor, Jean Paul Muyandamutsa.

While in the second incident, fire broke out from a lit match stick as one unidentified man tried to empty fuel from a motorcycle tank.

A house and two motorcycles were burnt in the process. The incidents happened in the sectors of Nyamubaka and Nyamabaya.

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