in-cyprus 23 August 2024
Around 150 fires break out every year due to cables or substations of the EAC, it was argued yesterday at a meeting, hence the Fire Service’s call for measures to be taken.
A meeting of all the competent services was held yesterday under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture, Maria Panayiotou, and, according to our information, a compromise was reached to take measures to limit fires caused by Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) services.
At the meeting, the Chairman of the EAC, George Petrou, informed the Minister and the Directors of the Department of Forests, Savvas Iezekiel, and the Fire Service, Chief Fire Officer Nikos Logginos, as well as departmental officials, that a study is being carried out to identify hazardous points that could cause fires.
Petrou expressed the EAC’s willingness to make corrective moves wherever necessary to prevent scorched earth due to EAC poles.
In particular, regarding old transformers, from which several fires have proven to have broken out, the EAC’s intention is to replace them with modern ones that will be enclosed, and in the event of a fire, it will be contained within the substation.
Regarding the loose cables that may come into contact and cause sparks, it was stated at the meeting that they will be examined, and where necessary, a special support will be installed to keep them separate. Where possible, cable insulation can be applied.
According to data presented by the heads of the two departments responsible for fire suppression, around 100 fires break out in rural areas every year due to EAC cables or transformers, and another 50-60 in forest areas.
Videos of transformers or cables catching fire at the point where a fire started were also shown at the meeting.
The meeting was held in a good atmosphere, and it was decided to hold a new meeting in late September to review the measures taken.
