Fires in Kinshasa: an alarming situation due to the lack of resources and organization
Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has faced a series of serious fires in recent years. Markets, buildings, depots and institutions were reduced to ashes, leaving citizens helpless in the face of these disasters. The main reason for this critical situation is the lack of equipment and organization of firefighting services.
The Kinshasa fire brigade, supposed to be the first resort in the event of a fire, is completely unsuited to the reality on the ground. Not only does it lack the means to move quickly to disaster sites, but it also faces problems of shortage of water and protective equipment. Tanker trucks are often insufficiently supplied with water, and fire hydrants are often faulty or disconnected from the water supply.
This critical situation is also reflected in the urban markets of Kinshasa, where the majority of traders operate in wooden stalls or on the ground. Goods depots are often precarious barracks which can easily catch fire in the event of a short circuit or forgotten ignition sources.
Faced with this reality, the inhabitants of Kinshasa have no choice but to try to save what they can using sand or buckets of water, while waiting for the fire to go out on its own. Firefighters, for their part, often find themselves powerless in the face of the scale of the disasters, due to their lack of means.
It is urgent that the authorities take concrete measures to remedy this situation. It is necessary to strengthen the equipment of firefighting services, improve the training of firefighters and ensure regular monitoring of the condition of fire hydrants in the city. In addition, it is essential to raise public awareness of fire prevention measures and promote the construction of safer and more compliant markets.
It is time to act to avoid other tragedies and preserve the lives and property of the inhabitants of Kinshasa