The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has explained that it took longer than expected to control the fire outbreak near the Accra Central Police Station because firefighters faced difficulties accessing the area quickly.
Speaking on the incident, GNFS Public Relations Officer Alex King Nartey said firefighters received a distress call on Wednesday evening about a fire in a storey building.
However, reaching the scene was challenging due to congestion in the area.
By the time firefighters arrived, the situation had already worsened. According to Mr. Nartey, “the fire was fully developed and was well alight,” forcing the service to call for additional support from fire stations at Parliament House, Circle, the Industrial Area, and the Ministries to help bring the blaze under control.
Mr. Nartey also revealed that some members of the crowd at the scene made it difficult for firefighters to work effectively.
“People were not giving us the room to operate. There were a lot of gas cylinders in there that kept going off with explosions,” he noted.
He explained that the repeated explosions created a dangerous environment for firefighters who were trying to enter the building and fight the fire.
Despite the obstacles, the Fire Service remained focused on preventing the flames from spreading to nearby buildings.
These included offices of Ghana Water Limited, warehouses, and banking facilities located close to the affected structure.
“Our ultimate aim was to prevent the fire from further spread,” he stressed.
Mr. Nartey said firefighters were successful in containing the blaze and protecting surrounding properties from being damaged by the fire.
