The Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority has requested proper equipment to enable it to tackle high capacity fires like the one in a fuel tank this week
FESA officers battled for several hours to bring a blaze in the tank at the Apia port under control on Monday.
One man died and four others were treated in hospital.
"We have requested the government for more equipment, especially for high risk tasks such as the latest tragedy," said Lelevaga Faafouina Mupo the Commissioner of Fire and Emergency Services.
In a press conference with the FESA commissioner following a fire at the flea market earlier this year, he was asked whether Samoa had the capability to deal with any type of fire threats.
At the time, the FESA commissioner responded, "we have the proper equipment, and we have the capacity to deal with the flames."
Despite the irony in the turn of events a few months later, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is not blaming FESA for the situation.
"PPS is liable for charges that may have caused the fire once investigations are completed," said MNRE Chief executive officer Fuaava Suluimalo Amataga.
Meanwhile a special team from Australia arrived in Apia yesterday afternoon to conduct investigations into the fire at the wharf.
Reports indicate six men were carrying out maintenance work on the staircases on the tanks.
There was an explosion in one of them.
Questions were also raised about the fumes and fuel that were emitted from the fire and how it would impact Samoa’s goal to keep carbon emissions below 1.5C.
SPREP's climate change advisor Espen Ronnenberg is optimistic.
"I think if that tank was full it would be equivalent to a few weeks of diesel consumed by cars/trucks.”
"But I don’t know if that tank was full or not," he said.
"Samoa will be on track for its contribution to 1.5 – if all the renewable energy projects that are lined up come through," said Ronnenberg.
Fortunately, the tank that caught fire was not full.
Pic: Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority/Facebook