Poor storage contributes to such fires: EPA

KUWAIT CITY, July 1: The Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs, the Minister of State for Services Affairs Mubarak Al-Haris has formed an urgent investigation committee to determine the causes of the fire that broke out on 8,000 square meters at a wood warehouse in the West Mina Abdullah and estimate the losses.

The fire was put out by eight firefighting teams assisted by the Kuwaiti army firefighting teams, the Ministry of Interior, the National Guard, the Medical Emergency, the Kuwait National Petroleum Company, and the Kuwait Ports Authority.

The fire, and according to a statement issued by the Public Relations and Information Department of the General Fire Department, a copy of which has been obtained by the daily, the fire broke out exactly 7:35 pm Monday in an open wood warehouse belonging to the Kuwait Ports Authority that is spread over thousands of square meters, The statement said, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh inspected the site as firefighters rushed to isolate the wood depot from almost 3,000 new cars, and various goods in addition to dyes and large quantities of diesel.

They were able to control the fire despite the fact that the fire broke out in an open area estimated to be about eight thousand square meters. Persistent blowing of wind made the task of firemen difficult to fight the fire although no human casualties have been reported.

After controlling the fire, Director General of the General Fire Department, General Khaled Al-Mekrad met with the senior officials of the General Fire Department, and the military institutions involved in the fire-fighting operation to determine the final measures taken by the teams to put out the fire and inspect the wood depot fire.

For his part, the Director General of the Environment Public Authority, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmad, who was at the site of the fire, stressed that poor storage contributes to the outbreak of such fires, expressing his hope the smoke emissions will not affect the surrounding areas.

His Highness the Amir expressed his appreciation for the great efforts made by the firefighters with sincerity and dedication in dealing with the fire, and for the speed they demonstrated in responding in cooperation with their brothers in the military and civil authorities.