Retired fire officer slips into manhole and dies

A 61-year-old retired officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Patrick Gyamesi has met his untimely death after he drowned in a 10-feet abandoned manhole at Fetteh Kakabra near Buduburam in the Central Region.

An eyewitness, Kwame Agyafo who operates the town’s Information Centre said, around 1:00 pm, the family of the deceased came to him to make a public announcement after they’d searched for him and didn’t know his whereabouts.

Kwame Agyafo told Kasapa News Yaw Boagyan that hours later they heard that, the ex-fire officer had been found dead in the abandoned manhole.

The Police who were informed about the incident came to convey the body to the morgue.

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased has appealed to the Police to release the body to them for burial.

Benjamin Gyamesi, a brother of the deceased said the death of the latter has come to them as a surprise because they’d hoped he’ll live for a while after several years of service as he retired from the Fire Service just last year.

“We don’t know what really caused his death. He sometimes drinks alcohol and so we’re yet to know if he was drunk at the time he fell into the manhole. His death is really a shock to us.”

The Chief of Fetteh Kakraba Nana Essel Amoanquandor III advised landlords in the area not to construct manholes when they are not ready to use it in order to prevent premature death.