Brunei's Firefighters Turn Snake Catchers

Bandar Seri Begawan - Among the emergency situations Brunei's firefighters faced last year were catching snakes and wild animals, clearing fallen trees and rescuing car accident victims.

The Fire Services Department said it has received 2,942 fire related emergency calls last year.

The department said the statistics compiled from January until December last year showed that the highest calls received related to bush and forest fires. The calls also covered cases of fallen trees, catching wild animals and rescuing car accident victims.

The year 2002 also received an increase of 10 per cent of emergency calls compared to the previous year. The department also stated that an estimated $18 million worth of properties were destroyed by fire in the year 2001.

In the case of road accident and drowning for the past nine years, the department recorded 247 fatalities in Brunei roads and 55 drowning cases.

It also said, 21 people died in house fires, ten people died in boat accident and six car fire cases while four victims died in other emergency cases.

Brudirect.com