16.     Prevention of accumulation of inflammable or combustible material

            (1) The owner of any lot or premises within the township shall take every reasonable step to prevent the accumulation or deposit, on the lot or premises, of straw, wood, paper or other inflammable or combustible material:

            Provided that, where there is an occupier of the lot or premises, this sub-bye-law shall be read and construed as if the reference therein to the owner of the lot or premises were a reference to that occupier.

            (2) The council may, by order in writing served on the owner or occupier of any lot or premises within the township, require him to remove, within such time as shall be specified in the notice, any straw, wood, paper or other inflammable or combustible material which may have accumulated or been deposited on the lot or premises.

            (3) Every owner or occupier on whom an order has been served under sub-bye-law (2) shall comply therewith.

            (4) Any person who contravenes this bye-law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P50 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 21 days or in the case of a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding P100 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

17.     Grass, rush or reed fences

            (1) The council may, by order in writing served on the owner or occupier of any lot or premises within the township, require him forthwith to remove any fence of grass, rushes or reeds on the lot or premises which, in the council's opinion, is so located or in such a state of disrepair as to give rise to the risk of fire spreading therefrom to a building.

            (2) Every owner or occupier on whom an order has been served under sub-bye-law (1) shall comply therewith.

            (3) Any person who contravenes this bye-law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P50 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 21 days or in the case of a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding P100 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

18.     Storage of inflammable combustible or explosive substances

            (1) No person shall, without the written permission of the council, store any inflammable combustible or explosive substance on any property within the township:

            Provided that this sub-bye-law shall not apply-

      (i)     to the storage, at a place of business or residence, in a closed-up container or other approved receptacle, of not more than 25 litres in aggregate of petrol, oil, paraffin and methylated spirits (in addition to the fuel contained in the fuel tank of any motor vehicle);

      (ii)     to the storage, at a place of business or residence, of liquor; or

     (iii)     to the storage, at a garage, service station or petrol filling station, of petrol, oil, paraffin and methylated spirits and of such other inflammable substances as are normally stored at such a place.

            (2) Any person who contravenes this bye-law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P200 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

19.     Burning of grass, refuse or rubbish, etc.

            (1) No person shall burn or set fire to any grass, refuse, rubbish or other material on any lot or premises within the township unless-

     (a)     he is the owner or occupier of the lot or premises or has the permission of such owner or occupier to do so;

     (b)     he takes every reasonable precaution to avoid annoyance to persons living or working nearby and to prevent the fire spreading to adjoining lots or premises; and

     (c)     he ensures that no buildings are endangered by the burning.

            (2) No person, other than an employee of the council in the performance of his functions as such, shall burn or set fire to any grass, refuse, rubbish or other material in any street or public open space.

            (3) Any person who contravenes this bye-law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P50 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 21 days or in the case of a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding P100 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

20.     Fire-fighting appliances in public buildings

            (1) The council may, by order in writing served on the owner of any hall, shop, offices or other building within the township to which the public has access, require him forthwith to provide the building with portable fire extinguishers at the rate of one extinguisher for every 240 square metres or part thereof of floor space within the building.

            (2) Every owner on whom an order has been served under sub-bye-law (1) shall comply therewith and shall ensure that every extinguisher he provides is fixed in a conspicuous and easily accessible position and is at all times maintained in good working order.

            (3) Any person who contravenes this bye-law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P200 or in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

21.     Attendance of fire brigade at fires

            (1) In the event of a fire brigade attending upon any fire within the township, the officer in charge of the fire brigade party shall have full charge and control of the property on fire and over such other property as he considers to be in danger and may take all such reasonable measures as he considers necessary or expedient to prevent the spread of and to extinguish the fire and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may, either personally or through a person under his control-

     (a)     enter upon any property and break into, through, take possession of or pull down any building:

                      Provided that he shall take all reasonable care to do as little damage as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances;

     (b)     approach any hydrant, pipe, cistern, borehole or other water supply and draw water therefrom;

     (c)     divert, stop or otherwise regulate traffic in the vicinity of the fire; and

     (d)     temporarily close any street in the vicinity of the fire.

            (2) No person shall hinder or obstruct the officer in charge of a fire brigade party or any person under his control in the exercise of a power conferred on him by this bye-law.

            (3) Any person who contravenes this bye-law shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P200 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both.