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A fire outbreak at an unlicensed ‘Gao Gao’ fuel station in Teshie on Thursday, 20th March, caused severe damage, reducing a vehicle and several commercial shops to ashes. The fire ignited while gallons of fuel were being offloaded.
Bystanders recounted how efforts to douse the flames with fire extinguishers proved futile as the station’s operators struggled to use them. Fortunately, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded in time to prevent the flames from reaching the underground fuel reservoir, averting a greater catastrophe.
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Speaking in an interview, ADO1 Alex King Nartey, the GNFS Public Relations Officer, revealed the team encountered logistical challenges before arriving at the scene:
“Our vehicle has been out of commission for some time now. We had to fall on our team at the Trade Fair, and it took them about 10 to 15 minutes.”
When firefighters arrived, the fire had already spread beyond the vehicle and fuel station, endangering surrounding businesses.
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“There are chains of stores, we had to do well to contain the fire from spreading. We have been able to put the situation under control,” Nartey added.
Authorities are now investigating the cause of the fire and evaluating the dangers posed by illegal fuel stations in the area.
In a related fire incident reported by Pulse few weeks ago, a devastating fire in Gyinyase, Kumasi, has claimed the lives of a nurse and her three children after they were trapped inside their home at dawn. Eyewitness, identified as Kwabena Mensah, recounted the harrowing experience whilst attempting to rescue the victims. He revealed feeling helpless despite several efforts to save the family.This morning, my wife, who sells kenkey, woke up at dawn to prepare her goods.
She suddenly screamed that children were burning. I rushed out and saw the fire raging near the kitchen. I tried to break open the door, but as soon as it opened, the gas cylinder exploded.Mensah broke down in tears as he described hearing the trapped children calling out his name for help. Despite multiple attempts by neighbours to force their way in, the flames had already consumed the house, leaving no chance for survival.