The Ashanti Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has dispelled claims by the victims of the Abuakwa Maakro fire that response to their distress calls was not on time.
The Command said it took just seven minutes for them to arrive at the scene and start the fight against the spread, even though the victims called a different emergency number.
Scores of people have been displaced as a result of the disaster.
Homes and shops were not spared by Thursday night’s inferno.
The fire affected a full house of 19 to 20 units, displacing an estimated 80 people.
A victim reported of losing her GH¢8,000 cash and a number of wares stocked up for Christmas to the fire.
Explaining further what transpired to 3FM’s Sunrise on Friday morning, the Ashanti Regional Public Affairs Director of the Ghana National Fire Service, DOIII Peter Addai, noted that “we got to the scene 7 minutes after the call so we got there on time”.
“Our response was swift,” he stressed. “They called the wrong number. Many times when people call us, they blame us for not coming but they end up calling the wrong number and in this particular instance, they didn’t call the right number.”
DOII Addai admitted that the first fire tender that arrived at the scene to quench the fire developed a fault and had to call for reinforcement.
“The fire tender first developed a mechanical fault. The pump failed so we called for a backup and it also arrived on time to fight the fire,” he explained.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|3new|Ghana
0 Comments