2 fire fighters injured at Ho-Ahoe
Two personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) stationed at the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region got injured during a fire fighting operation on Wednesday.
The two were part of the 32 personnel deployed by the service to fight a fire which had engulfed the Evangel Assemblies of God Church in Ho-Ahoe in the municipality.
The injury occurred when the ceiling of the chapel engulfed in fire caved in and collapsed on them while trying to put out the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) in-charge of the Volta Region, Ms Janet Duah told the Ghanaian Times, adding that the incident took place after the Wednesday evening rainfall.
She said at about 7:10 p.m. the team of fire officers responded to a distress call by a local radio station that the chapel was on fire.
“In line with our operations, a team was promptly dispatched to the scene with three fire tenders and a water tanker,” Ms Duah said.
She noted that it took 20 minutes for the officers to bring the raging fire under control, however, the ceiling of the build collapsed injuring the two.
Ms Dua who could not readily disclose the names of the two injured said “But for their helmets, their injuries would have been very serious.”
According to her, there were a few members of the church inside the chapel, broadcasting their service, adding that fire fighters were slightly hampered by the large crowd that turned up at the scene and entered the chapel, with some of them wailing hysterically.
She said the fire fighters had to resort to the use of a public address system to convince the people to leave the chapel due to the challenge they were posing for the officers.
ACFO Duah said colleagues from Adaklu and Kpetoe were brought in to reinforce the Ho Municipal Fire Tender team.
She reminded the public to stay away from fire scenes to allow fire officers to do their work without any impediment, adding that “In times of fire, our greatest concern is the safety of the human lives around.”
Some of the members who spoke to the Ghanaian Times explained that during the rain which was accompanied by strong winds, power supply was interrupted in the area.
They said later when power was restored, the air-conditioner in the pastor’s office caught fire and rapidly extended to the sofa and then to the books in the office.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO