Poor Access Hampered Firefighting Efforts at Accra Police Barracks – GNFS

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has attributed delays in containing a major fire outbreak at the Greater Accra Central Police Station to accessibility challenges and crowd interference that hindered emergency responders from effectively carrying out their duties.

The fire, which engulfed a storey building on Wednesday evening, required a coordinated response from multiple fire stations as firefighters battled to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby properties and critical facilities.

Speaking in an interview, the Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, Alex King Nartey, explained that personnel faced significant challenges in reaching the scene due to congestion in the area.

According to him, by the time firefighters arrived, the situation had already escalated.

“Upon arrival, the fire was fully developed and was well alight,” Mr. Nartey stated.

He said the severity of the fire compelled the service to call for reinforcement from the Parliament House, Circle, Industrial Area and Ministries Fire Stations to strengthen efforts to bring the situation under control.

Mr. Nartey further revealed that the operation was complicated by the presence of a large crowd, some of whom obstructed the movement and work of emergency personnel.

“People were not giving us the room to operate. There were a lot of gas cylinders in there that kept going off with explosions,” he said.

He noted that the repeated explosions created dangerous conditions for firefighters attempting to gain access to the affected structure, increasing the risk to both emergency responders and bystanders.

Despite these challenges, the GNFS remained focused on preventing the fire from extending to adjacent properties. Mr. Nartey said the proximity of key installations, including a Ghana Water Limited office, warehouses and banking facilities, made containment efforts even more critical.

“Our ultimate aim was to prevent the fire from further spread,” he stressed.

The Fire Service indicated that through the coordinated efforts of the responding teams, the blaze was successfully contained, preventing damage to surrounding buildings and infrastructure.

Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fire, while investigations into the incident are expected to continue.