Muscat – The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA) has urged drivers to observe safety precautions while filling fuel, especially in the summer months.

CDAA stated that although incidents of fuel station fires decreased in 2021, safety guidelines must continue to be followed to avert accidents.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, an official of CDAA informed that there was no incident of fuel station fire in the sultanate in 2021, compared to two in 2020.

“With the onset of summer and obvious increase in temperatures, motorists should be cautious at fuel stations because there is high risk owing to the presence of flammable materials. Fire accidents in fuel stations can lead the loss of life and property,” the CDAA official said.

Elaborating on the causes of fuel station fires, he said, “Some motorists fail to comply with the safety measures issued by CDAA on health and safety while refilling. Additionally, inability of employees to deal with a fire when it breaks out worsens the situation. Another reason is leakage of oil from the vehicle while refilling.”

Measures that need to be followed to prevent fires include not smoking at filling stations at all times, not using mobile phones, turning off the engine, and not moving the vehicle before the hose has been pulled out of the fuel tank.

CDAA called on fuel marketing companies to ensure all staff are adequately trained on how to deal with any emergency or fire and adequately maintain storage tanks and dispensing pumps.