A fire outbreak at Tudu in the Central Business District of Accra has left emergency responders battling to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to nearby properties.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 3, with the exact cause yet to be established. Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service, together with other emergency responders, were deployed to the scene shortly after the alarm was raised.
Speaking to journalists at the scene, Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, Alex King Nartey, said efforts were currently focused on containing the fire and safeguarding critical facilities in the area.
“The Ghana Commercial Bank is near; the Ghana Water Company office is also close. We want to protect all these facilities,” he said.
Some traders in the area were also able to salvage parts of their goods before the fire intensified.
Mr. Nartey indicated that investigators suspect the fire may have been triggered by an electrical fault, though this is yet to be confirmed.
“We suspect electrical fault,” he said in response to a question on the possible cause of the fire.
He further disclosed that one firefighter sustained serious injuries during the operation and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
“He suffered a life-threatening injury and has been sent to the hospital for treatment. Other officers are experiencing electrical shocks when they enter to put out the fire,” he stated.
He also lamented the lack of adequate firefighting infrastructure in the area, noting that only one hydrant was available at the scene, which slowed response efforts.
Fire fighters have managed to contain the spread of the blaze to adjoining structures as efforts continue to fully extinguish the fire.
