A terrifying fire broke out early Wednesday morning on Owula Mampong Street in Accra Newtown, as an overloaded transformer caught fire, sending thick smoke and flames into the sky.
The incident, which occurred around 5 a.m. on November 13, 2024, forced residents to evacuate and raised serious concerns about the safety of the area’s electrical infrastructure.
Eyewitnesses said the blaze started in a cluster of transformers on a power pole near the Zen filling station.
Flames quickly spread, alarming nearby residents who rushed to safety. “I was relaxing after my morning meditation when I heard sparks. I rushed outside and saw the pole on fire,” said one resident. “I immediately woke up my neighbors to evacuate.”
The fire lasted for approximately 45 minutes before it was extinguished, but not before causing significant alarm.
As the fire spread, locals made frantic calls to emergency services. However, due to delays in their response, some residents took matters into their own hands.
“We tried contacting the fire service, but they were slow to respond,” one eyewitness explained.
“Thankfully, a Good Samaritan with a fire extinguisher helped control the flames before the fire service arrived.”
This particular pole, which holds multiple transformers, has caught fire twice before, further escalating concerns among the community.
Residents are questioning why the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has not addressed the recurring issue despite previous incidents.
“The pole is dangerously close to our buildings, and the hostel where we live doesn’t even have a fire extinguisher,” another resident shared. “It’s a miracle that we were able to evacuate in time.”
“This morning has been very tragic for us! No fire extinguisher? Are we even serious?!” shared an eyewitness after an overloaded transformer caught fire on Owula Mampong Street in Accra Newtown. The threat has since been resolved.#CitiNewsroom pic.twitter.com/ZzeUjBUBv8
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) November 13, 2024
