A NEW fire station that has been under construction in Bayintnaung in Mayangone township since last month will be finished before the start of the 2008-2009 fiscal year, said U Aung Kyaw Myint, the Yangon divisional officer with the Fire Services Department under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

“The new station is located near Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone in an area with many warehouses and wholesale businesses. So if a fire breaks out in the area, we can respond quickly,” he said.

He said the two-storey building, which will have the capacity to hold five fire engines, will be the first “modern” fire station in Yangon Division, with facilities similar to some newer stations in Nay Pyi Taw and neighbouring townships.

“The station will be equipped with water tanks that can be used to refill the fire engines, so if fire engines run out of water while they are putting out a fire they can come back to the station and immediately refill,” said U Aung Kyaw Myint.

He said that once the new fire station is finished, the Fire Services Department will seek to build similar stations in other areas of Yangon Division pending permission from authorities.

According to the department, there are 39 fire stations in 32 townships in Yangon Division. The remaining 13 townships in the division have no stations.