ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, December 2nd, 2011  – Acting Chief Fire Officer Mr. William Penn is cautioning the Virgin Islands community to be very careful and to observe safety rules when handling flammable substances.

This statement came as a result of a fire that occurred at VI Motors yesterday. “We responded to a call yesterday at VI motors which resulted in one person being injured,” the Acting Chief confirmed to the Department of Information and Public Relations.According to Mr. Penn, gas was being dispensed into a container while stationed on the back of a pickup truck, a safety breach that should never be practiced.

“In a case like this the container should always be filled on the ground. What the community must realise is that gasoline is a very volatile substance and if it is not grounded when pumping gas there is a higher probability of ignition from static electricity, or any flame source,” Mr. Penn explained.

He said the reason why it is relatively safe to pump gas into automobiles is because vehicles come with a mechanism built-in creating a ground and allowing any built-up static electricity to flow to the ground.

Mr. Penn further encouraged business owners and operators to have safety apparatus like fire extinguishers on hand and to ensure that the staff is trained in its use.

“The damage from the fire at VI motors could have been much more extensive had extinguishers not been used.

It is proven that fire extinguishers work and businesses must ensure that staff is trained on how to use them,” Mr. Penn implored.

The Fire and Rescue Services Department is committed to protecting life and property from the ravages of manmade and natural disasters.

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