FIRE Chief Marlon Gentle announced yesterday that, despite late reports, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has determined the causes of 90 per cent of fires countrywide.
Quoting statistics, he said, for the period ending October 2009, 1,455 fire calls were recorded, less than the 1,677 for 2010.
Of the latter number, Mr. Gentle reported that 290 buildings were burnt, 130 completely, 42 severely damaged and 87 with slight damage.
He said, in 2010, there were 223 fire calls, resulting in 91 buildings being destroyed, 16 severely and 116 slightly damaged.
Gentle told reporters there was a high percentage of arson last year, as a result of property disputes.
In that category, there were 72 this year as compared to 76 in 2009 while 23 per cent resulted from carelessness with electrical equipment, like stoves etc, he stated.
Gentle said, in some instances, flames were lit too close to buildings, especially during the dry season.
He said, out of concern, the GFS conducted several sensitisation campaigns at schools, workplaces and even training programmes in which regular inspections were done and various groups engaged.
For this year, Gentle said more disasters in dwelling houses started through activities by occupants, such as unsafe use of electricity and theft of it.
Almost half of the fires that occurred, this year, were outdoors during the dry spell, he added.