The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Ashanti Region, D.O. II Peter Addai, has refuted claims that fire tenders at the scene of the Adum Blue Light incident were without water.
In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he explained that all fire tenders were filled with water and strategically positioned to combat the fire.
“Water was never an issue. Even the assembly provided additional water to support our efforts,” he said.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Friday, March 21, caused significant damage to several shops before it was fully brought under control by Sunday morning.
D.O. II Addai noted that accessibility was one of the major challenges faced by the firefighters.
“Initially, we had no access to the fire. We had to request excavators to create a pathway and assess the intensity of the flames,” he explained.
He also mentioned that most of the nearby fire hydrants were dry, which forced them to rely on water tankers.
“At that time, the hydrants were all off and dry, some tanker provided by the assembly had to fetch water while our fire tenders remained at the scene.”
Despite these challenges, he insisted that proper arrangements were made to ensure a steady water supply.
“Because of the measures we put in place, water was not a problem,” he stressed.
The incident sparked controversy when Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, confronted the fire service over what he perceived as a slow response.
In a widely circulated video, the Minister expressed frustration, questioning why a fire truck at the scene reportedly lacked water.
However, D.O. II Addai insisted that the GNFS did everything within its capacity to control the fire.
“The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is responsible for servicing and maintaining fire hydrants, and many of them have become old,” he stated.
The fire service has since called for improved access to hydrants and better infrastructure to prevent similar challenges in future fire outbreaks.
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