Yangon’s traffic jams frequently prevent fire engines from arriving in time to fight fires effectively, a Fire Services Department official told Eleven.
The official said heavy congestion in the city forces fire engines to take roundabout routes to get to the scene. Moreover, while traffic police can sometimes clear lanes for fire engines, the city lacks lanes reserved for fire engines as well as traffic systems to help fire engines get through.
The Yangon Region Fire Services Department monitors potential fires around the city by monitoring live footage captured by CCTVs installed on six high-rise buildings. The cameras can rotate 360 degrees.
“We look for smoke in the daytime and flames at night,” the department official said.
A total of 179 fires were reported in Yangon region between January and September this year, with losses valued at K300 million.
Most of Yangon’s fires are reportedly caused by faulty electrical wiring.