The Obuasi Fire Department has been left without a working fire tender following a fault that developed on its way back from a fire emergency at Twapeakwa. The Obuasi Fire tender attends to emergencies in Obuasi East, Obuasi West, Akrofuom district, and Jacoubou.
According to the Fire Commander for Obuasi, DO2 Emmanuel Afoakwa, they will now have to rely on the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine Fire department or Fomena district when there is an emergency in town. The Fire Commander was speaking to Obarima Kwadwo Gyamfi, host of Aseda FM Morning Show on Thursday, 16th March 2023.
The tender has since been packed at Nyamebekyere, leaving the entire town of Obuasi without its usual emergency support.
Speaking to Bismark Akowuah, the NADMO Coordinator for Obuasi East, he revealed that technicians will attend to repair the fire tender within the day.
This current fire tender was brought into Obuasi after the previous one got involved in an accident at the Stadium junction in Obuasi last year, due to road construction that was taking place, and the Fire service wasn’t notified. Sadly, one fire service personnel lost his life in that accident.
It is imperative that the local authorities prioritize the repair and maintenance of fire tenders to prevent situations like this in the future. In the meantime, the people of Obuasi can only hope that a fire outbreak does not occur while the current fire tender is out of commission.