- Family loses 4-bedroom house to fire in Berekum
- Malfunctioning fire tender hinders response
- Residents appeal for new fire tender
A family in Berekum, Bono Region, has lost their four-bedroom house to a devastating fire that occurred on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of the day, also destroyed several properties worth thousands of cedis.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to Adom News described how they saw smoke billowing from the house, followed by a rapid spread of the fire, which soon became uncontrollable.
Residents reported that the fire service in Berekum was contacted, but the response was delayed due to a malfunctioning fire tender. In a desperate attempt to control the fire, neighbours resorted to fetching water from their homes, but their efforts were futile against the intensity of the flames.
Firefighters from Nsuatre, in the Sunyani West Municipality, were eventually called in but arrived only after significant damage had already been done.
Some agitated locals expressed frustration, revealing that the Berekum fire tender had been out of service for over two years without any efforts to repair or replace it. They are now calling on the newly elected Member of Parliament to prioritize providing Berekum and its surrounding areas with a functional fire tender.
The Fire Service is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
