A consultant has called on Papua New Guinea authorities to lift standards in light of recent fires which have caused thousands of dollars worth of damages to businesses.
The Post Courier reports that fire safety consultant and member of Elites Fire-fighters and trainer Tipson Hangu says there needs to be a complete overhaul of the PNG Fire Service administration to allow it do its job effectively.
Mr Hangu says he has observed that most businesses do not have proper fire safety plans in place.
He says it is the duty of the fire officers to go out and train the workforce on fire safety and not wait for the emergency call.
Mr Hangu says he is worried about the unprecedented number of fires occurring.
He says businesses must be regularly checked to ensure that they comply with safety rules.
Fire in PNG Photo: Jeremy Randerson