Ashaiman residents attack fire fighters

Tema, Jan 21, GNA - Residents of Old Tulaku at Ashaiman on Saturday nearly lynched personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) who went to the area to fight a fire razing down a carpentry shop. The hostile residents threw stones at the personnel, damaged the fire tender and moved to the Ashaiman Fire Station threatening to beat up the personnel but police intervened.

The fire, which occurred at about 1230 hours, completely gutted the carpentry shop in addition to some near-by electrical appliances shop. Mr Paul Enyonam Tamakloe, Tema Regional Fire Officer who confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency, said due to the lack of a fire tender at the Ashaiman Fire Office, its officials called the Tema office at about 1245 hours to attend to the fire.

Mr Tamakloe said Tema office responded swiftly and reached the scene within 10 minutes only for the residents to attack them with stones and sticks claiming the fire fighters had delayed in responding to the call. "They attacked the fire men so dangerously that they had to run for their lives and called for police assistance before they could stop the fire from spreading to more shops," he said.

He said his outfit would file a report to the Chief Fire Officer for the next line of action to taken. Mr Tamakloe said to avoid a repeat of the incident, the GNFS was working hard to repair the Ashaiman fire tender.