MAIN STORY: Kasoa High Tension Fire
– 15 to 20+ container shops destroyed at High Tension, Central Business District
– Fire started around 10am in a phone repair shop, suspected electrical fault
– Kasoa and Buduburam fire tenders were both broken down, so Weija fire station had to come
– Angry residents threw stones at Weija firefighters, damaged windscreen
– One firefighter collapsed from smoke/heat and was rushed to Kasoa Polyclinic
– NADMO boss Nash Nyandey says shops under high-tension lines will be relocated 589b3bcaad5c
Other Kasoa news this week:
– Traffitech-GH rollout: Road Safety Authority sensitizing Kasoa drivers about new traffic camera ticketing system
– GPRTU clampdown: Taskforce checking drivers overcharging fares at Kasoa lorry station
TITLE: Fire Destroys 15 Shops at Kasoa High Tension as Residents Attack Firefighters Over Faulty Tenders
A mid-morning fire outbreak has destroyed at least 15 container shops at High Tension in the Central Business District of Kasoa, leaving traders counting huge losses.
The fire, which started around 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 21, is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault in one of the shops that repairs mobile phones. The shops, which sold mobile phones, electrical appliances, and wood crafts, were completely burnt before help could arrive.
Kasoa and Buduburam Fire Tenders Broken Down
According to residents, when they called the Kasoa Fire Station which is just a few metres from the fire scene, they were told the fire tender had broken down.
The same response came from the Buduburam Fire Station.
The Ghana National Fire Service had to deploy a team from the Weija Fire Station in Accra, who arrived after the fire had already caused extensive damage.
This delay angered some youth in the area who pelted the Weija fire crew with stones, accusing them of arriving late. One firefighter reportedly collapsed due to smoke inhalation and heat and was rushed to the Kasoa Polyclinic.
Assemblyman Condemns Attack
The Assemblyman for the American Town Electoral Area, Shadrach Boakye Yiadom, has condemned the attack on the firefighters while calling on government to urgently repair the faulty fire tenders.
“We called the Kasoa Fire Service and we were told their vehicle had broken down, same with Buduburam.
I don’t understand why my people resorted to pelting stones at them. That is something I will never encourage my people to do,” he told Citi News.
A resident, Mr. Boateng, expressed disappointment: “The fire station is just a stone-throw from the incident but they could not respond because their fire tender has broken down. Authorities must come in and ensure that the fire tenders are fixed.”
NADMO Assessment
The Awutu Senya East Director of NADMO, Nash Nyandey, said preliminary assessment points to a possible electrical fault.
He added that plans are underway to relocate container shops sited under high-tension power lines to prevent future occurrences.
Owners of the affected shops say they are yet to calculate the full value of their losses and are worried about how to rebuild their businesses.
Reporting by http://KasoaNews.com
