PESHAWAR, May 31: The deplorable condition of the city’s fire brigade needs immediate attention of the authorities  concerned to equip it with  modern fire-fighting equipment, keeping in view the increasing fire incidents.

The firemen say that average 300 fire incidents take place in the limits of Peshawar city every year.

Only last month fires erupted in more than 18 localities of the city. The result is that the function of the fire brigade staff has confined to removing the debris only, as no effective fire control is available.

“We can’t give rapid response with such outdated fire engines,” a fire-fighter complained saying that most of the engines did not function.

In the early 20th century when city’s population was in thousands, the city had a fire brigade system, considered to be well-equipped according to the standard of that time.

The officer in charge of the city fire brigade, Malik Nawaz, said that in 1912 this walled city had two fire engines and 10 fire-fighters.

The city had underground water pipeline system in every street and fire fighters could reach the place of incidents in no time.