By Colleen Barilae – EM TV News, Lae
Dulux Head Office in Lae has commissioned a new fire system amidst the growing number of fires in the city.
Among its nine water taps surrounding the company’s premises, was a tap stationed and pointed towards Lae’s main market.
Production and Warehouse Manager, Matthew Efi, says the company is also utilising its community relations program with the inclusion of a tap for Lae Market.
The company had a run through of the whole system with Lae Fire Service personnel to identify its effectiveness in putting out a fire, while waiting for a fire truck and fire experts.
Lae Fire Service Commissioner, Bal Kena, admits the system had passed the fire service’s requirements, rating it a state-of-the-art facility with very good pump capacities.
Out of the nine water taps stationed around the perimeter of the company’s operations area is one tap specifically fitted for Lae’s main market area for fire emergencies.
The main water reservoir contains 300,000 litres of water, stocked to its brim.
Of the two main pumps is a standby pump that can be connected to a fire truck in the event that the generators are shut down.
The facility, built over the span of six months, with the help of Dulux’s engineering consultants, has met Australian standards.
Many business houses in Lae have taken the initiative to fit their own fire systems within company buildings following multiple fires catching nearby buildings, most being on company property.
There have been 17 fires over the last two years in Lae, due to no nearby fire systems being in place.
This year, the first fire case for Lae city was reported last week.
