Kwara State, with a population of about three million people and large land mass, has only 38 fire fighters, investigations have revealed.

Also, the 16 local government areas have only three fire stations. It has two stations in Ilorin - Unity, which is its operational office and one on Ahmadu Bello Way - while the third one is in Omu Aran.

The station, located on Ahmadu Bello Way, near the Kwara State Government House and Kwara Hotels, is the headquarters of the fire brigade in Kwara State.

The three fire stations have only eight fire engines and other ancillaries as well as 18 fire ladders.

Though officials at the head office of the Fire Service declined comment on their staff strength and number of fire services and facilities, a reliable source confirmed our correspondent's findings.

However, the Chief Fire Officer, Kwara State, Mr. Olayinka Raji, said the brigade in 2012 got 188 distress calls and saved properties estimated at N1.99bn. He added that fire damaged property worth N214,755,800 in 2012.

He said the state government had given its approval for the service to recruit about 50 more fire fighters, adding that the recruitment would soon commence.

He commended the state government for what he called its support and assistance to the brigade. He said the fire service had sufficient equipment for its duties.

Raji identified the lack of cooperation from members of the public during emergencies as one of the challenges of the brigade.

According to him, there is the need to extend fire service coverage with sufficient equipment and operational facilities to other local government areas.

The chief fire officer added that there should be periodic recruitment of fire service personnel to beef up the staff strength of the brigade.

Raji also said more funds should be provided for the service to enhance its operations.

He advised the residents to be more safety conscious and avoid acts capable of causing fire disasters.

Raji said, "Members of the public should always obey safety instructions; they should avoid smoking in bed and should switch off all gas/electrical appliance when not in use."

He also advised them never to overload an electrical point to avoid over heating, adding that they should keep all matches/fire lighters/fire works away from children.

"The residents should also avoid storage of petrol at home or on transit and should not drop cigarette ends carelessly. It is also needful for them to avoid the use of multi-ways adaptors; use one appliance on a socket and avoid bush burning," Raji said.

Some of the residents, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday, appealed to the state government to provide more and functional fire stations, at least, each in the 16 local government areas.

They said property worth several millions of naira had been lost to fire inferno which could have been saved or reduced with efficient, well equipped and well staffed fire service.

An Ilorin resident, Mr. Samuel Ajayi, said people in the state had lost property worth millions of naira to fire disasters in the state.

"Many people, including farmers and traders, have lost their valuables to preventable inferno. Something should be done and urgently too to address this problem," he said.

Another resident, Alhaji Kamaldeen Jimoh, said government's intervention was urgently needed to reduce avoidable loss of property to fire.

He also called on corporate organisations in the state as well as wealthy individuals to come to the aid of the fire service.

"The state government should urgently help the brigade and provide them enough staff, stations, equipment, other operational facilities as well as good incentives so that they can efficiently perform their duties," he said.