Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos on Sunday appealed to the public practice safety precautions to prevent fire incidents in their areas aside from instilling the habit of cleanliness as way of life among Filipinos.

This comes as Abalos led the KALINISAN Clean-Up drive launch in Barangay Sta. Ana, Pateros, where he advised the people to be mindful of their electrical appliances especially old electric fans by unplugging them when not in use.

“Fire incidents are higher this year because of El Niño than the previous. The most prevalent cause is unattended electric fans,” Abalos said.

He also mentioned irresponsible disposal of used lighted cigarettes, as well as faulty electrical wirings and connections as other reasons for fire incidents.

The Pateros event marked the 7th leg of the program in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for cleaner and healthier communities through weekly concerted activities aimed at cleaning every locality in the country.

Meantime, Abalos said the public could call the Bureau of Fire Protection to request for a voluntary electrical inspection in their homes to avoid fire incidents in communities as he also discussed the dangers of improperly disposed plastic wastes that accumulate and clog barangay waterways.

“Of the three million tons of waste we produce, two million clogged our drainage and canals that cause the flooding,” Abalos said.