Fire deaths down in Addis Ababa.

04 Aug, 2009

Twenty-one people died in fires in Addis Ababa in the 2008/2009 fiscal year according to the local fire and emergency prevention and control agency (FEPCA). This compares to 105 fire deaths during the previous tax year.

The number of fire incidents also decreased from 336 in 2007/2008 to 225 in 2008/2009. Instead the estimated damage to property as a result of fire rose by over 20 million birr to 60.3 million birr over the same period. FEPCA blames a handful of major fires in city markets for the increase.

FEPCA currently has six branches in Arada, Kera, Amanuel, Saris (Addis Tyre), Akaki, and Bole districts while a seventh is under construction in Kolfe Keranio. The agency operates 13 modern fire trucks and has 341 employees.