The fire scene at Sunyani magazine
AS A result of lack of fire tender at the Bono Regional Fire Command to attend to fire outbreak at its catchment area, authorities have agreed with auto mechanics (Sunyani magazine) to repair a broken down water tanker to be improvised as tender.
Bono Regional Fire Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Grade II (ACFO II) Cecil Addo explained this to the paper after fire gutted several mechanic workshops and vehicles under repairs at Sunyani Magazine within the radius of the command, but failed to fight it due to absence of a tender at the command.
The fire, which broke out yesterday, swept through several mechanic shops and vehicles under repairs. The affected mechanics blamed the regional fire command for failing to respond to distress calls, leading to the spread of the fire to other shops.
It took several minutes for a tender to arrive from the Sunyani Municipal Fire Command, to bring the fire under control.
Explaining the lack of fire tender at the regional headquarters, the regional commander said it was expedient to equip districts and municipal fire offices to fight fire, emphasising the regional fire command was purely for administrative purposes, though he admitted there was the need for one at the command.
He described the magazine (Sunyani Garages) as volatile area, and therefore needed a fire tender to be stationed there.
According to him, due to the volatile nature of the area, the command has entered into agreement with the garages to help repair a broken-down water tanker of the service for free, to be fitted with pump for use as tender to fight fire at the Sunyani magazine.
According to him, out of twelve districts and municipalities in the region, two have no fire tenders while the remaining ten struggle with breakdown of tenders. “We also only have two back water tankers for support in the region though we wish to have more,” he disclosed.
Giving fire statistics in the region, he said his outfit is yet to compile the fourth quarter fire data for 2024 since November and December figures are not yet in.
However, September recorded 11 fires and October recorded 19 fires in the region. Mr. Addo pointed out the high fire rate in Berekum and Sunyani municipalities, saying, “there is fire outbreak almost everyday in these cities.”
He urged residents to abreast themselves with fire education from his outfit through various outlets, including radio stations, to avoid activities that ignite fire in the communities.
The regional fire commander pleaded with the government to provide operational command vehicle to all regional fire commanders, since all of them lack befitting operational vehicles.
FROM Daniel Y. Dayee, Sunyani