Fires in Kinshasa: fighting against the impotence of the fire services
The city of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is regularly confronted with devastating fires. Markets, administrative buildings, commercial establishments, nothing escaped the flames. Unfortunately, the city’s fire services are often under-equipped and demobilized, which compromises their ability to intervene effectively.
Cases of serious fires are on the rise in Kinshasa, highlighting the many shortcomings facing local firefighters. First, their lack of material means is striking. Fire-fighting vehicles are insufficient, protective suits and boots are lacking, fire hydrants are inoperative. Firefighters often find themselves short of water when responding to disasters, due to the low capacity of their tank trucks and the absence of fire hydrants in many areas of the city.
In addition, these fire departments also face motivation problems. Salary arrears are piling up, which directly impacts their commitment and efficiency. Under these conditions, it is not surprising that firefighters feel helpless in the face of repeated fires.
The situation is all the more worrying as the fire prevention policy in Kinshasa is almost non-existent. Safety and town planning standards are not respected, and the presence of fire hydrants in buildings is often overlooked. The city’s urban markets, mostly located on the streets, are particularly vulnerable. The wooden stalls, the fragile shacks, everything can go up in smoke at the slightest electrical short circuit or similar incident.
Faced with this situation, the inhabitants of Kinshasa are forced to take improvised measures to save what can be saved in the event of a fire. They use sand or buckets of water, waiting for the fire to go out on its own. The authorities, for their part, announce measures to take care of the victims, to relocate the victims and to build new infrastructures, but these promises often remain a dead letter.
It is high time for the Kinshasa authorities to realize the urgency of the situation and implement a real firefighting policy. This involves strengthening the material resources allocated to firefighters, adequate staff training and strict compliance with safety and urban planning standards. It is essential to guarantee the safety of the inhabitants of Kinshasa and to protect their property from the destructive flames.
The fires in Kinshasa should no longer be seen as a fatality, but as a problem that can be solved with political will and concrete actions