Sharjah Civil Defence has commended businesses working in the emirate after a steady fall in the number of reported fires at commercial and industrial premises.

According to the department, the number of fires recorded between January 1st and September 26th had fallen to 303, down from 450 in the same period in 2008.

Col Waheed al Serkal, the head of Sharjah Civil Defence, told the National that the organisation had been training workers at companies operating in the Hamriya Free Zone.

"We have made it mandatory, starting from this year, for every company working in Sharjah free zones to have at least ten per cent of their workers equipped with good knowledge of fire safety techniques and handling fire accidents," he explained.

However, Civil Defence officials yesterday reiterated the need to comply with the regulations a fire in Ajman gutted an oil lubricants business and an adjacent metal factory.

Last month, the Gulf Today revealed that in neighbouring Dubai, the number of fires had fallen by 40 per cent after an intensive training and awareness-raising campaign.

Getenergy event for GCC countries November 2009