The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has described Wednesday night’s fire outbreak at the Accra Central Police Station in Tudu as one of the most challenging incidents firefighters have faced in recent times, citing gas explosions, live electrical hazards, crowd interference and inadequate firefighting infrastructure.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, Assistant Divisional Officer of the GNFS, Alex King Nartey, said firefighters responded promptly to the blaze but encountered significant operational difficulties in their efforts to bring it under control.
According to him, the presence of multiple gas cylinders and deep freezers within the facility intensified the fire and created dangerous explosion risks.
“With the Tudu fire, when we got there, we had to grapple with a lot of gas explosions. The explosions were very intense because they had stored gas cylinders there, and there were several deep freezers as well. These freezers contain gases that explode when exposed to extreme heat,” he explained.
Mr Nartey said the situation was further complicated by the continued supply of electricity to the affected area, exposing firefighters to serious risks during the operation.
“Because there was electricity, our officers kept receiving electric shocks as they tried to fight the fire. That made the operation extremely difficult,” he said.
He also cited crowd-control challenges as a major obstacle, noting that firefighters had to work closely with police officers to manage onlookers while simultaneously tackling the blaze.
“The interference from people around the scene made our work more difficult because we had to undertake crowd control together with our police colleagues while ensuring we had access to the heart of the fire,” he stated.
Mr Nartey further revealed that the lack of adequate fire hydrants in the area affected the firefighting operation.
“The absence of hydrants in the vicinity was another challenge. We had only one fire hydrant available within the police station compound,” he said.
The fire officer noted that the heavy rains that swept through Accra on Wednesday night placed additional pressure on emergency response teams, who were simultaneously dealing with several incidents across the city.
According to him, the GNFS was responding not only to the Tudu fire but also to other fire outbreaks and a reported collapse of a storey building during the downpour.
He said the combination of multiple emergencies stretched available resources and personnel, making operations even more demanding.
Despite the challenges, the GNFS managed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to adjoining structures.
The Service has renewed calls for stricter fire safety measures, proper storage of gas cylinders and improved emergency infrastructure, particularly the installation and maintenance of functional fire hydrants in high-risk commercial areas.
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