São Tomé and Príncipe seeks partners to buy fire engines
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Rádio Somos Todos Primos
Illustrative image · Anna Shvets · Pexels · Licence PexelsSão Tomé and Príncipe Prime Minister Américo Ramos said he had approached partners to fund the purchase of firefighting vehicles. Firefighters have had only one operational vehicle for months, while residential fires have killed dozens in recent years, Rádio Somos Todos Primos reported.
The Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe, Américo Ramos, said he had begun talks with several partners to finance the purchase of fire engines. Firefighters have had only one operational vehicle for several months, according to Rádio Somos Todos Primos.
Ramos acknowledged that acquiring the vehicles should be a government priority, but said the government’s financial difficulties had led it to seek external funding. He also said that repairs and refurbishment of existing vehicles were under way to improve the resources available to firefighters.
The head of government said difficulties in responding to fires were also due to urban planning and the layout of homes, which make it harder for emergency services to gain access. He linked the lack of resources to residential fires that have killed dozens of people in recent years, according to the radio station.
