The lack of a functional fire tender at the Ghana National Fire Service station in Goaso led to the destruction of nine bedrooms and other valuable property including an unspecified amount of money by a raging fire, all estimated at thousands of Ghana cedis.
The incident, which occurred last Wednesday, displaced inmates of the affected house and they are currently putting up with relatives and friends.
Residents told the Ghana News Agency that when the fire started at about 1830 hours they quickly alerted the fire station but the personnel
turned up without a fire tender.
Their explanation was that the only vehicle at the station broke down about two years ago, hence their inability to fight the fire effectively.
Mr. Sarfo Sarkodie, Goaso Municipal Fire Officer, described the
incident as "most unfortunate", and expressed regret about the increasing outbreak of domestic fires in the municipality.
"These frequent fire outbreaks pose a serious threat to the people's lives and their properties", he said.
The fire officer commended his men for their "brave intervention and professional acumen", which he said saved other nearby houses from being
engulfed by the fire.
He said preliminary investigations indicated that the fire outbreak was caused by a gas cooker being used by a tenant, and advised users of such
facilities to adhere to precautions and instructions provided.
Mr. Sarkodie appealed for a new fire tender for the station to help fight fire outbreaks, and to prevent the destruction of valuable property.