Fire guts Magistrate Courts in Sunyani, destroys key materials

A devastating fire has gutted the District Magistrate Courts ‘A’ and ‘B’ in Sunyani, destroying vital documents, computers, and other essential materials in a major setback to justice delivery in the Bono Region.

The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Sunday, swept through the court complex with such intensity that nothing could be salvaged. By dawn, the once-busy judicial facility had been reduced to charred remains, leaving court officials and residents in shock.

Confirming the incident to JoyNews, the Bono Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, ADO I Kwame Adomako Antwi, painted a grim picture of the destruction.

“Wood, chairs, documents, computers, air conditioners, everything was razed down by the inferno,” he stated.

The fire is believed to have started around 3:00 AM, when most people in the area were asleep.

With no immediate emergency call system activated, the alarm was raised through a “running caller” who had to physically rush to a fire station to report the incident, costing precious time.

Firefighters from the Sunyani Fire Station are reported to have been the first to respond, later joined by two additional tenders from the Abesim Fire Station. But despite their efforts, the situation quickly worsened due to a series of setbacks.

The first fire tender reportedly ran out of water mid-operation, while another developed a fault on its way to the scene. Even more troubling was the struggle to find water within the municipality to sustain the firefighting effort.

“After combing the entire Sunyani metropolis, we could not get water. Even the fire hydrants were dry,” ADO I Kwame Adomako Antwi added.

As the flames raged on, the lack of water allowed the fire to spread uncontrollably, consuming everything inside the court buildings.

The report indicated that by the time the blaze was finally brought under control hours later, the damage had already been done.

NA/AE