Four people died and 16 others were injured in 134 fires and traffic accidents in the Syrian governorates during the past 24 hours.

The Syrian Civil Defense at the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management reported, through its official channel, that its field cadres immediately responded to all reports, providing first aid to the injured and transporting them to hospitals to receive treatment, in conjunction with securing the accident sites and removing their effects from public roads.

This heavy toll comes as an extension of a significant increase in the rates of traffic accidents and fires in the country, where statistics recorded the death of one person and the injury of 19 others yesterday, which raises the level of pressure on emergency teams and the ambulance system, and puts them in a state of constant alert to face simultaneous accidents in more than one governorate.

Oil tanker fire temporarily closes Homs-Tartus international road

The collision of an oil tanker on Tuesday on the international road linking Homs and Tartous led to the outbreak of a huge fire whose fire quickly spread to other tankers that were parked and others that were passing near the accident site. The heavy fire resulted in the death of two people, after the driver of one of the tankers died immediately at the site and another injured later died of his injuries, and the fire and the leak of flaming oil materials temporarily cut off traffic on the vital road until fire brigades complete extinguishing and cooling operations.

The international road between Homs and the Syrian coast is the most important economic and logistical artery for transporting oil derivatives and fuel from ports and refineries to the rest of the provinces.

This system is witnessing heavy traffic of heavy cargo vehicles, which makes any traffic accident involving fuel tankers extremely dangerous due to the speed of flame spread and the difficulty of controlling the movement of liquid chemicals on vital roads.

Fire Crews Respond to 119 Fires in Fields and Homes

Fire brigades dealt with 119 sporadic fires that broke out in several areas, including 3 fires that broke out in strategic agricultural fields and crops, and 116 fires that affected residential houses, shops, areas of dry grass, trees, and electrical wires.

According to a statement by the Syrian Civil Defense, these fires caused two deaths and two injuries among civilians, in addition to causing severe material damage to private property and agricultural lands before teams succeeded in encircling the fire and cooling their positions.

These fires coincide with rising summer temperatures, a critical period for Syria's agriculture sector where field crops (such as wheat and barley) are prone to rapid ignition.

The Ministry of Emergency Renews its Warnings and Guidelines for Citizens

The Civil Defense issued an urgent appeal to drivers to reduce speeds, fully verify the technical condition of vehicles, the safety of brakes and windshield wipers, and avoid distracting behaviors such as the use of mobile phones while driving.

The authorities also stressed the need for citizens to completely refrain from setting fires in forestry and agricultural areas, not to throw cigarette butts or glass bottles on the sides of roads, and to rely on safe ways to get rid of dry weeds around homes.