Kumasi residents attack fire officers as blaze destroys TV station, church

Residents in Krofuom, a suburb of Kumasi, reportedly attacked a fire tender when a fire gutted a local television station, Trinity Television, and a church.

The firefighters were forced to escape the physical attacks by the infuriated residents as the fire swept through properties worth millions of cedis.

According to a report by myjoyonlin.com, it took the intervention of police officers to recall another fire tender to save the situation.

Two fire tenders reportedly moved to the scene, but the initial tender was attacked by aggrieved residents over delays in the firefighters' response time.

"When they came, people started pelting them with stones, so they left to protect themselves. Then, the police intervened. This is not the first time something like that has happened. The authorities must caution the people against that attitude," said Solomon, an eyewitness.

The fire, said to have started at about 9 am on Friday, reduced the 18-year-old church building to rubble. Properties housed in the building, including a television studio with other ancillary facilities and accessories, were also destroyed.

Workers and pastors at the Trinity Television station and church, located at Krofuom-Adoe Nkwanta, had concluded their morning television broadcast when fire gutted a nearby kiosk and engulfed their building.

The cause of the fire is unknown, with no reported casualties.

The owner of the local television station, Apostle Collins Boadi, recounted the fire incident.

"At about 9:10 am, we had finished a service and realized a container behind us was burning. A lot of properties have been destroyed. We were preparing to outdoor a new studio on December 31," he said.

After close to two hours, the fire was completely doused as residents and owners of the facility attempted to salvage the remaining items.

Meanwhile, the GNFS in the Ashanti region has expressed concern over the rampant attacks on firefighters.

GA