Fire service warn stations against discharging fuel during the day

Owners and operators of filling stations in the nation’s capital have been asked to adhere to the operational guidelines for discharging fuel, even as the FCT Fire Service says the administration would not tolerate activities that could lead to fire outbreak in the territory.The Acting Director, FCT Fire Service, Engr Sani Saidu, at a meeting with dealers, managers, supervisors of oil and gas stations on Thursday, said the incessant explosion of fuel tankers in Abuja was becoming worrisome and must be addressed.Saidu advised filling stations against discharging fuel in the afternoon, warning that they must adhere to all the safety guidelines issued to them by the Fire Service.”We have also asked them to sensitize their tanker drivers, that is those that bring fuel to them, they should sensitize them on the necessary things that are needed to placed in respective tankers, like fire extinguishers. Educate the drivers, the conductors on how to use safety devices.”As we said earlier, discharging in the hot day afternoon is not advisable at all, because of mechanism that I explained to them. The weather is dry, the water moisture in the atmosphere is very low, and the kinetic energy of electrons on the body of the trucks are very high, then you see differential starting voltage is very high. So any slightest mistake, the voltage will cross each other, from there the outbreak could come up.”We, told them how they can wash the tankers the moment they have come, because the static current glued up on the body of the tankers, they should wash all the body of the tankers, then wait and see that the stability of the tank and the content inside meet with the initial position, so that everything is at rest in order to do the discharging. That is if they are under pressure, but if they are not, it is from 12 midnight till 7am in the morning. We also advise that when discharging, they should not sell in the filling station.” He stated. The director advised fuel station owners and other relevant stakeholders to always liaise with the service to curb fire disaster across the city.